The Avalanche Can't Afford to Let Artturi Lehkonen Walk
It’s not often that one can say that a player is truly unique, but that is exactly the case for Artturi Lehkonen. No one behind him does what he does.
At the end of the season, the Colorado Avalanche won’t be able to claim that Lehkonen won tons of awards; in fact, he might not win any this season. He won’t lead the team in scoring. His name won’t be mentioned when the Hart Trophy discussion occurs in March.
When the headlines surface about contract extensions, they will revolve around Cale Makar. Lehkonen will just be a silent addition, and that right there is where the problem is.
The 31-year-old Finnish winger is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season. In the background, without a lot of flash surrounding him, Lehkonen’s contract could be one of the most consequential decisions ahead of the Avalanche.
There is no one on the roster who is built to replace what Lehkonen does.
Numbers Don’t Represent Whole Story
Looking back over last season, Lehkonen posted 21 goals and 48 points over 70 games. He averaged 18:29 of ice time per night.
In the 2024-25 season, he was even better. He had 27 goals and 45 points over 69 games. In fact, over his four seasons with the team, Lehkonen has never registered less than 45 points and he has consistently recorded 60-plus games per season.
He just does work.
He kills penalties and blocks shots - 29 last season alone; he’s just there. As the left wing on Nathan MacKinnon’s line, he awaits the opposing team’s shutdown pair every single night. His job is to make space for two of the best offensive players in hockey, and he does it.
In 89 career playoff games, Lehkonen has 29 goals and 53 points to his credit. He scored the overtime goal that sent Colorado to the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. He’s integral to this team.
No Answer on the Roster
Dig in and try to find his replacement on Colorado’s current forward group. Jaden Schwartz is 34 years old and was signed for depth. Zachary L’Heureux is a young 23 and unproven at the NHL level. Taylor Makar could be the answer but he is very much still at the development stage.
No one profiles to carry what Lehkonen is capable of. Especially not playing next to MacKinnon.
That void matters. MacKinnon’s linemates protect him. That’s worth a lot to the team. Jared Bednar has faith in his top line and knows he can deploy them in any situation as they stand. If you lose that, the top line becomes more exposed.
Cap Complication
Ok, this is where things get difficult. Lehkonen carries a $4.5 million cap hit this season. Makar’s extension is coming, and when it does, the cap flexibility will take a huge hit. Moves will have to be made.
Resigning Lehkonen is going to take more than the $4.5 million as a proven top-six two-way winger. That means money already accounted for somewhere else on the roster will have to be moved.
The Avalanche have until the end of this season to make all these decisions and work out the logistics. Until he is re-signed, Lehkonen’s play will be a bit of an audition, but not one that will need to remind Colorado of his importance.
Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NHL, NCAA and WNBA. Laura covers the Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Avalanche and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com