Prospect Info: Artturi Lehkonen

[Redux91]

Lehkonnen and Rad are showing a lot of chemistry already. I'd really want to see them with Galchenyuk who seems to really like playing with Rad. Plek Gally and Patch has worked before too so why not try it.

Yeah looks like they got to switch those centers lol, maybe at some point in the year it will be tried

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Yeah looks like they got to switch those centers lol, maybe at some point in the year it will be tried

It might just work out that way.

Regardless how it plays out both lines would be an offensive threat..

 

[Puck Luck Run Amok]

Yeah looks like they got to switch those centers lol, maybe at some point in the year it will be tried

Honestly Radulov & Lehkonen have looked far more effective and impressive than Pacioretty. I hope AG is put with those two instead of carrying Mr. Perimeter this year.

I think this is the year we see Pacioretty dip under the 30 goal mark.

 

[Andrei79]

You mean they looked lost WITH the puck

Bournival cement hands......god he was awful!

Well, I was trying not to make it sound like they were terrible all around, but the honest truth is they were. Latendresse was an all around bad player with a great knack for scoring quickly once he got the puck from the faceoff circle in. Everything else though was tedious.

Sekac I won't comment since I feel he was the most overated player we've ever signed. Looked pretty but played like a career AHLer.

Bournival was Perezhogin redux. Just a bad player all around. No redeeming quality outside his skating.

I'm harsh since they still made the big league for a while which is huge accomplishment, and they should be proud of themselves, but these guys were on the fringe from the start.

 

[Redux91]

Well, I was trying not to make it sound like they were terrible all around, but the honest truth is they were. Latendresse was an all around bad player with a great knack for scoring quickly once he got the puck from the faceoff circle in. Everything else though was tedious.

Sekac I won't comment since I feel he was the most overated player we've ever signed. Looked pretty but played like a career AHLer.

Bournival was Perezhogin redux. Just a bad player all around. No redeeming quality outside his skating.

I'm harsh since they still made the big league for a while which is huge accomplishment, and they should be proud of themselves, but these guys were on the fringe from the start.

Perezhogin redux? surely you jest.

He shined when in the top 6 and PP and wasnt given enough of a shot to stay in the top 6, left for KHL, dominated the KHL.

 

[Andrei79]

Perezhogin redux? surely you jest.

He shined when in the top 6 and PP and wasnt given enough of a shot to stay in the top 6, left for KHL, dominated the KHL.

He never shined, he was pretty much what Bournival is. Are you sure you're not thinking of Higgins ?

 

[montreal]

He never shined, he was pretty much what Bournival is. Are you sure you're not thinking of Higgins ?

Perezhogin was nothing like Bournival. Perezhogin was used as a 3rd liner but he was skilled. Bournvial was a hard working defensive forward that lacked skilled.

 

[Legend123]

30 goals and 30 assists and win that Calder trophy ezpz. Imagine how that would shut up leafs fans and their media over Matthews and Co. ??? lol

 

[SB164]

His shot reminds me of Andrei Kostitsyn's.

 

[behemolari]

30 goals and 30 assists and win that Calder trophy ezpz. Imagine how that would shut up leafs fans and their media over Matthews and Co. ??? lol

would labsolutely love this

BTW i don't understand why some people keep bringing failure of the past to explain why everyone will fail this year.

Radulov will fail because of Semin.
Lehkonen will fail because of Sekac and Bournival.

I can understand wanting to be cautious. That's perfectly reasonable.

But Radulov has nothing in common with Semin. For one he is a better player. Always had been and always will be. Not more skilled. Just a better overall player whose game fit the NHL better.

Lehkonen is a better prospect than both Bournival and Sekac. Bournival is a middle of 3rd round pick. Sekac was never drafted despite having a good frame. Lehkonen is an end of 2nd round pick. He just turned 21 and already has 5 years of pro experience. He did better last year as a 20 years old in the SHL than Sekac did at 21 in the KHL. He is more skilled than both Bournival and Sekac. Bournival was projected as a 4th line player maybe 3rd line at best. Lehkonen is projected as a 2nd line player 3rd line at worst if he succeed. He is also more gritty than Sekac by a fair margin. As for Bournival he looked involved before his injuries but after that he looked flat.

Doesn't mean they will succeed. But there's no comparison to be made with Semin, Sekac and Bournival imo.

If you wanna make comparison to Lehkonen, similar would be someone like young Jussi Jokinen, except Lehkonen has better shot.

 

[rockjngo]

Jussi Jokinen was a defensive specialist somehow he started scoring and stopped playing defensively sounded coverage. Same with Michael Ryder who started out as a good two-way and didn't care for defense.

How knows what kind of player Lehkonen will develop into. So far he looks good in all 3 zones. The last Fin who got this hype was Saku Koivu. Lets hope Lehk will turn out that way.

 

[Scintillating10]

Honestly Radulov & Lehkonen have looked far more effective and impressive than Pacioretty. I hope AG is put with those two instead of carrying Mr. Perimeter this year.

I think this is the year we see Pacioretty dip under the 30 goal mark.

Pacioretty has been streaky his whole career. If he does dip maybe good idea to trade for top d-man to replace Elemin

 

[Galchenioretty]

Honestly Radulov & Lehkonen have looked far more effective and impressive than Pacioretty. I hope AG is put with those two instead of carrying Mr. Perimeter this year.

I think this is the year we see Pacioretty dip under the 30 goal mark.

Well if Pacioretty is going to get carried by anyone it's probably the guy with a career of 26 assists. The only line on this team that's actually guaranteed to produce over the course of the season is the line Pacioretty, regardless of what C he gets put worth. So why take that opportunity away from Galchenyuk?

If Pacioretty keeps generating 300+ shots a year, he'll be fine. IF there's anyone to worry about scoring 30 again it's probably the guy who rode the crazy late season SH% spike.

 

[Tyson]

Lehkonen to me has been the most impressive rookie. He came in and took a top 6 spot. Saku was right.

 

[BLONG7]

Lehkonen to me has been the most impressive rookie. He came in and took a top 6 spot. Saku was right.

Interesting, what did Saku say? He was giving the kid props obviously?

 

[McGuires Corndog]

Interesting, what did Saku say? He was giving the kid props obviously?

He said that Lehkonen would make the team this year.

 

[DangerDave]

Lets change his last name to Kehkonen

Now we can call him AK46

Wish radulov was #15. AR 15 would be cool. The gun names are the best.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

After 3 years of using Lehkonen as my profil picture the day as finally come. Always believed in Lehkonen, great pick!

 

[perstakli]

Jussi Jokinen was a defensive specialist somehow he started scoring and stopped playing defensively sounded coverage. Same with Michael Ryder who started out as a good two-way and didn't care for defense.

Jokinen certainly was no defensive specialist in Finland (in fact, he was a top-10 goalscorer in his last season) and I'm not sure when he 'started scoring' after having 55 points in his rookie season. I would have to agree with behemolari here, Lehkonen is at a similar point in his career as Jokinen was 10 years ago - undersized with great hands and proven offensive player (in the European context). Jokinen had a tough time at some point in his career and has turned into a much more of an all rounder which is probably why he's still at the NHL.

Time will tell whether Lehkonen can stick as a top-6 player from the get go, fail in that but mold his game to find a role (like Jokinen did) or end up back in Europe. I'm hoping for the first!

 

[Price is Wright]

Lehkonnen and Rad are showing a lot of chemistry already. I'd really want to see them with Galchenyuk who seems to really like playing with Rad. Plek Gally and Patch has worked before too so why not try it.

Lehkonen - Galchenyuk - Radulov
Pacioretty - Plekanec - Gallagher

Yeah, that feels better than the current setup.

 

[DAChampion]

Lehkonen - Galchenyuk - Radulov
Pacioretty - Plekanec - Gallagher

Yeah, that feels better than the current setup.

I agree.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

so impressed with the kid. Better skating and more skill than I thought. He just doesn't do much that I don't like. He looks like the real deal.

I remember when Button said he was our best prospect. I don't think any of us agreed but it looks like he was right.

Looks like he'll be a great addition. Haven't been this optimistic over a Habs roster in a long time probably ever.

 

[Mrb1p]

Wish radulov was #15. AR 15 would be cool. The gun names are the best.

Except that's an american gun...

 

[Andrei79]

Perezhogin was nothing like Bournival. Perezhogin was used as a 3rd liner but he was skilled. Bournvial was a hard working defensive forward that lacked skilled.

Yes, Perezhogin was more skilled and who knows what would've happened if the incident didn't happen as he looked great in the AHL. I had high hopes for him , but those skills didn't translate in the NHL, he never showed much at that level. He even had some chances on the top 6 including a short stint with Kovalev and Koivu in the few games those two were paired.

 

[THE HOFF]

After 3 years of using Lehkonen as my profil picture the day as finally come. Always believed in Lehkonen, great pick!

Never really saw him play other than few clips before he showed up to camp. what a great surprise. Props to you for calling it right!

he gets at the right place at the right time so fast , looks hungry for goals, has confidence in his great shot ... and has a lot of room to get better. It's hard not to be optimistic here.