Artturi Lehkonen drawing interest from an Eastern Conference contender

From Stanley Cup playoff hero to traded in a span of seven+ months? That's what one insider believes could be the case with Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen.

According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, Montreal Canadiens executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton has been in contact with his former team, the New York Rangers and has spoked to general manager Chris Drury about a potential trade involving Artturi Lehkonen.

"Artturi Lehkonen has been all over the trade-targets lists for a bit, and sources told The Athletic that Drury and his former boss, Canadiens hockey operations chief Jeff Gorton, have been in contact regarding Lehkonen, who is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights and is due a $2.3 million qualifying offer. The talks are believed to have been preliminary," Staple said.

"Lehkonen is the sort of upgrade the Rangers would want not just for now but for the long haul. Sammy Blais filled this role before his torn ACL in November; Lehkonen will come in with a bigger RFA price tag beyond this season, but he does more and is better at it than Blais, having been a consistent 10-plus goal scorer his first four seasons before the shortened 2020-21 and ugly numbers this season for the bottom-dwelling Canadiens. He's a third-liner and penalty-kill guy who contributes on offense and doesn't kill you defensively. His 58.5 percent xG share is far and away the best on Montreal this season, so he must be doing something right amid all the wrong happening up there.

He won't be cheap because he isn't a rental. But Lehkonen gives the Rangers more options and a better third line even without other changes," he added.

Lehkonen, 26, is currently on a one-year contract earning $2.3 million. The Piikkio, Finland native has appeared in 33 games for the Canadiens this season, tallying twelve points (four goals, eight assists), twelve penalty minutes and is a minus-four.

He proved to be very valuable in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, playing at times on Montreal's top line with Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher. On June 24th, Lehkonen scored the most important goal in Montreal Canadiens history in the last 28 years, an overtime winner to send them to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1993. His play during the playoffs last year have caught the eye of many, so it isn't too surprising that teams have and will be calling the Canadiens to inquire about the 26-year-old Finn.

Per @StapeAthletic , keep an eye on Lekhonen to the Rangers at TDL.

A Kravtsov for Lekhonen swap anyone? pic.twitter.com/EO8ysXS4JY— Marco D'Amico (@thehockeyexpert) January 16, 2022

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