Avalanche Could Have Difficult Artturi Lehkonen Decision Coming
The Colorado Avalanche have quite a few decision ahead as they continue trying to build a roster that is capable of bringing another Stanley Cup home to Denver. One that could be particularly difficult is looming just down the road for them.
Artturi Lehkonen is entering the final season of his five-year, $22.5 million contract; he is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
While that is still 84 games away, the 31-year-old winger is eligible for an extension now and Colorado will eventually have to determine how much they are willing to spend to keep one of their most trusted forwards in the mix.
Lehkonen Has Become Too Important to Ignore
Since joining the Avalanche, Lehkonen has established himself as more than just a middle-six forward. He brings a two-way reliability that coaches trust in nearly every situation, while also providing enough offensive firepower to play alongside some of Colorado's best players. His versatility has made him one of the more valuable pieces of the Avalanche's forward group.
Lehkonen's reputation in Colorado was cemented when he scored the series-clinching goal in the Western Conference Final during the Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup run.
Since then, he has continued to be the type of player Colorado can lean on when the games matter most. This, combined with his two-way abilities, makes the idea of replacing him much more complicated than simply finding another forward to fill his spot in the lineup.
The Contract Could Be the Complicated Part
The problem for Colorado is that Lehkonen's next contract will have to reflect his importance without creating another long-term cap headache. The Avalanche already have several expensive pieces on their roster, and maintaining enough felixibility around Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and the rest of the core will always be a consideration.
Giving Lehkonen too much of a raise could force Colorado to make a difficult decision elsewhere, especially given that they only have a projected $11.6 million in cap space for the 2027-28 season and four projected unrestricted free agents next summer.
Lehkonen's age also plays a part here—Colorado has to determine whether they want to commit to another long-term deal or take a shorter-term approach that could keep the average annual value higher. Neither option comes without risk. A long-term contract could eventually become difficult to move if his production declines, while a short-term deal could leave Colorado paying a premium price to keep a player they have no interest in leaving.
Colorado Has Time to Figure It Out
The good news for the Avalanche is that this isn't a decision they have to make ahead of camp. They have the entire season to evaluate Lehkonen's production, health and role before determining what they believe he is worth. That should give the front office a clearer picture of whether a major investment makes sense.
For now though, it is difficult to imagine that Colorado will just let Lehkonen walk next summer. Players who contribute offensively, defend responsibly, play in every situation and have strong playoff games are difficult to find.
If Lehkonen continues providing that kind of value, the Avalanche could find themselves in a familiar position next summer—wanting to keep an important player while having to make the numbers work.
