Player Discussion Artturi Lehkonen

[McGuires Corndog]

I like really Lek'...but is it just me...or does he look less and less like a true top6 player?

Again, I really like him. He's not big but plays with a lot of grit, not unlike Gallagher and Shaw. He's smart with the puck and doesn't turn it over easily. Decent skill set, speed and all.

But now he's playing with two very creative players, Drouin and Galchenyuk, and, to be honest, he sort of looks out of place.

Every single time the puck comes to his stick, he kills the play with a bad shot or, something he's rarely been seen doing before, turns the puck over.

I think Lek fits more with players who play a simple North/South type of game...like Danault or even Pleky.

Completely agree.

I think Hudon would be a much better fit on that line than Lehkonen right now.

 

[Mrb1p]

I like really Lek'...but is it just me...or does he look less and less like a true top6 player?

Again, I really like him. He's not big but plays with a lot of grit, not unlike Gallagher and Shaw. He's smart with the puck and doesn't turn it over easily. Decent skill set, speed and all.

But now he's playing with two very creative players, Drouin and Galchenyuk, and, to be honest, he sort of looks out of place.

Every single time the puck comes to his stick, he kills the play with a bad shot or, something he's rarely been seen doing before, turns the puck over.

I think Lek fits more with players who play a simple North/South type of game...like Danault or even Pleky.

Hes been taking good shots, doing good. Its just a matter of time.

 

[ItzaGreat]

Completely agree.

I think Hudon would be a much better fit on that line than Lehkonen right now.

I was thinking the exact same thing. He deserves it and I think he's got better offensive production potential than Lekhonen, who I should repeat, I really like.

 

[CauZuki]

Completely agree.

I think Hudon would be a much better fit on that line than Lehkonen right now.

It's a sophomore slump imo or gripping his stick too tight. Lekhonen is still very young and the production will eventually come. I also think it's time we give Jerabek a real NHL opportunity.

I'd like to see :

Lekhonen - Drouin - Galchenyuk
Pacioretty - Danault - Gallagher
Hudon - Plekanec - Shaw
Carr - Mitchell - Byron

Mete - Weber
Alzner - Petry
Benn - Jerabek
Schlemko slots in to replace the weakest link.

PP1:

Hudon - Drouin - Galchenyuk
Mete - Weber

PP2:

Pacioretty - Danault - Gallagher
Jerabek - Petry

Could be worth a try to improve our offensive output.

 

[Mrb1p]

Drouin and Galchenyuk need a worker, someome to cover for them, dig pucks and move space. Someone that goes to the net and always needs someone on them.

 

[ItzaGreat]

Drouin and Galchenyuk need a worker, someome to cover for them, dig pucks and move space. Someone that goes to the net and always needs someone on them.

Then how about giving them Gallagher, who is producing like a top line forward?

 

[Habs]

Completely agree.

I think Hudon would be a much better fit on that line than Lehkonen right now.

Totally agree here as well

 

[Mrb1p]

Then how about giving them Gallagher, who is producing like a top line forward?

Gallaghees effectiveness goes down on the left, youd have to move chuck at C and D at Lw

 

[Habs100]

It's a sophomore slump imo or gripping his stick too tight. Lekhonen is still very young and the production will eventually come. I also think it's time we give Jerabek a real NHL opportunity.

I'd like to see :

Lekhonen - Drouin - Galchenyuk
Pacioretty - Danault - Gallagher
Hudon - Plekanec - Shaw
Carr - Mitchell - Byron

Mete - Weber
Alzner - Petry
Benn - Jerabek
Schlemko slots in to replace the weakest link.

PP1:

Hudon - Drouin - Galchenyuk
Mete - Weber

PP2:

Pacioretty - Danault - Gallagher
Jerabek - Petry

Could be worth a try to improve our offensive output.

I agree with a lot of this. But as much as I want Galchenyuk on the pp, it's been working recently. If starts to falter, I take Shaw off the first unit, put Pacioretty in front of the net and Galchenyuk on the half wall.

And, I switch Hudon with Lehkonen.

 

[Et le But]

Another player the Habs are slowly molding into a 4th line grinder.

 

[lamp9post]

Another player the Habs are slowly molding into a 4th line grinder.

Lehkonen is 4th in average TOI among forwards, 3rd in PPTOI among all players, and he plays on the 1st line with our two most creative forwards...sure seems like the 4th liner treatment to me...

 

[Captain Mountain]

Lehkonen is 4th in average TOI among forwards, 3rd in PPTOI among all players, and he plays on the 1st line with our two most creative forwards...sure seems like the 4th liner treatment to me...

He's also top-10 in the NHL for ES iCF/60 and ixGF. He's developing into, at worst, a good top-6 complementary winger.

 

[Runner77]

When pressed by a reporter about Lehkonen's absence, Julien snapped back with "quit digging!"

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

His loss shouldnt hurt us too much since we were playing Hudon like 7 minutes on the 4th line
Hopefully, Hudon seizes the chance

 

[Scintillating10]

Noticed Lehkonen hasn't been playing as well lately. Be good to see Bryon get first line minutes as he played his best hockey last year with Radulov and Galchenyuk. Also Hudon has shown flashes on 4th line. Good to see him get more ice time with Plekanec and Gallagher.

 

[CauZuki]

Noticed Lehkonen hasn't been playing as well lately. Be good to see Bryon get first line minutes as he played his best hockey last year with Radulov and Galchenyuk. Also Hudon has shown flashes on 4th line. Good to see him get more ice time with Plekanec and Gallagher.

Yeah I agree , Lekhonen was invisible last night...

 

[OldCraig71]

Drouin and Galchenyuk need a worker, someome to cover for them, dig pucks and move space. Someone that goes to the net and always needs someone on them.

Radu, oh I forgot again.

 

[NobleSix]

When pressed by a reporter about Lehkonen's absence, Julien snapped back with "quit digging!"

Well, isn't that kind of their job?

If the Habs were just honest about things instead of being shady and blatantly lying half the time then the media would have to 'dig'.

 

[Runner77]

Well, isn't that kind of their job?

If the Habs were just honest about things instead of being shady and blatantly lying half the time then the media would have to 'dig'.

The Habs have always operated on a shroud of secrecy. Not that there shouldn't be things they should keep close to the vest but in this day and age, they ought to keep up with how some of their competitors are showing a modicum of transparency that doesn't insult your average fan's intelligence and doesn't cause a prejudicial result for the organization either.

 

[Asamu]

Lehkonen has been playing for a month after his come back on December 22. I know that we have to be patient with him but right now I see 1/4 of what was Lehkonen last year.

If we consider his last 12 games: 0 goal, 1 assist, +/- -5 . I just read that he was still playing while having this lower body injury last November and I'm wondering if he's at 100% right now or not. He has offensive linemates with him. He's playing on the 1st or 2nd line. I've been following his journey to reach the Habs since the beginning of draft day 1 in 2013 and I really like him. Is it the usual sophomore year ''curse'' or is there another reason for his below average performances?

 

[Lebowski]

Lehkonen has been playing for a month after his come back on December 22. I know that we have to be patient with him but right now I see 1/4 of what was Lehkonen last year.

If we consider his last 12 games: 0 goal, 1 assist, +/- -5 . I just read that he was still playing while having this lower body injury last November and I'm wondering if he's at 100% right now or not. He has offensive linemates with him. He's playing on the 1st or 2nd line. I've been following his journey to reach the Habs since the beginning of draft day 1 in 2013 and I really like him. Is it the usual sophomore year ''curse'' or is there another reason for his below average performances?

It was the same last season... He went hot to finish the season which helped his overall stats, but I recall him producing absolutely nothing for a long period of time.

 

[The Great Weal]

Brutal season for him, didn't do anything good offensively.

 

[montreal]

I haven't been watching every game but it's tough to see him struggle to produce since he's on pace for half the pts and a fraction of the goals. That said I'm not too worried about him. This year is toast, just hope he can bounce back next year and be a 15-20 goal scorer or better. We sorely need him to get back on track.

 

[yianik]

I'm also not hitting the panic button.

This sophomore jinx is an actual thing. Add in being out for a long time due to an injury. Add in a horrible season for the team.

He had a very good season last year because he worked hard and he has a good skill set.

I think he will be fine next year and still see him as top 6 material.

 

[OldCraig71]

He is not an overly skilled player, he is a score off the rush player with a good shot, he is the type of player that really suffers without a quality center to play with.