Player Discussion Artturi Lehkonen Part 2

[FrankMTL]

Just to clarify, you have the 3rd rounder on the wrong side.

The trade was Barclay + 3rd for 1st + Greco (career AHLer)

Essentially Barclay was the price for SJ to move up from an early 3rd to a (very) late 1st.

You're correct. I should stop posting in the morning, I can't read properly.

 

[tnq]

Trade him now and regret later

 

[lamp9post]

Trade him now and regret later

I'm a fan of Lehk and think he can be part of our leadership group through the rebuild along with guys like Anderson and Edmundson, but let's be honest - he's a replaceable player. Depending on the return, you have to be open to possibility of moving him.

 

[angusyoung]

I like the kid and want to keep him,not often I actually like a player but I like him. Think he reminds me of my favorite orangutan Beni

 

[AmeriHab]

So we should trade Anderson too then, right? Since he's older, makes a lot more money, and he's only going to get worse as his body breaks down.

Lehkonen should stay... for 100 years if he wants.

Yes trade him if the offer is good. But Lehkonen isn’t in the same tier as Anderson and much easier to replace

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Yes trade him if the offer is good. But Lehkonen isn’t in the same tier as Anderson and much easier to replace

I mean we already have the Lehkonen replacements on the roster. Anderson is not easy to replace at all.

 

[Natey]

Yes trade him if the offer is good. But Lehkonen isn’t in the same tier as Anderson and much easier to replace

Correct. It's much easier to replace someone who actually shows up to games in the NHL playoffs.

 

[Bouboumaster]

I think I'd keep him.
Solid bottom 6 player

 

[ReHabs]

There used to be different tiers of players but given market forces it seems there are only a few:

1. Elite players
2. ELCs
3. "Special" players or specialist players (Defensive Cs, PP QBs, big hitters, etc)
4. NHL Journeymen
5. Waiver-wire players aka Replacement Level

I'm not convinced Lehkonen will be more than a Journeyman -- he isn't a Jere Lehtinen elite defensive winger and so far into his career he doesn't produce enough to be a valued specialist. He isn't a physical or big hitter either.

The question is: can the Habs replacement easily on the open-market?

In the case of Armia, he is overpaid now (I think due to that nasty concussion Tyler Myers gave him last year). Do we also want an overpaid Lehkonen as well?

 

[NORiculous]

8 pts in his last 6 games.

Let’s say he plays all the time on the 1st PP… can this guy become a Patrice Bergeron type of player?

We know he is solid defensively and he is showing signs of being able to have good offensive production.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

8 pts in his last 6 games.

Let’s say he plays all the time on the 1st PP… can this guy become a Patrice Bergeron type of player?

We know he is solid defensively and he is showing signs of being able to have good offensive production.

No, he's having a hot streak, we should enjoy it, but we need to stay realistic.

 

[ReHabs]

8 pts in his last 6 games.

Let’s say he plays all the time on the 1st PP… can this guy become a Patrice Bergeron type of player?

We know he is solid defensively and he is showing signs of being able to have good offensive production.

Patrice Bergeron? C'mon, absolutely not.

He's on pace for his career high ppg of 41 points/season.

I think if he really thrives under the MSL "make reads" system he can get 35-45 points a year as a middle6 winger who is defensive responsible. How much is that worth to the Habs... I think we can keep him, sure.

3.5m a year x three years? Would he accept that and do the Habs even have the cap space for that?

 

[Natey]

8 years please

 

[RC51]

Here we go, the perfect example of the sell high buy low business model As soon as your players is on a "High" IT'S WHY SHOULD WE SELL A PLAYER THAT IS DOING SO WELL. Lets wait till he tanks to low and then sell him off..
BUT!!! you get next to nothing for low players. SO you NEVER WIN trades. Thats why business has historically done way better with " sell high buy low"
it hurts to sell high but the return it HUGE. Use a baseball term- you can NEVER get a grand slam if you never lode the basses. You have to lode up on top draft picks so you sometimes land a Gretsky-Crosby-OV- type and he is yours for 10 years. Yes sell high hurts but if done right the return is Higher.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

I would not be trading Lehk’s unless the overpayment is huge.

 

[Walrus26]

Do we have another Lehkonen in reserve, which would allow us to trade him without detriment in the big scheme of things?

What's the hit rate of 2nd rounders becoming Lehkonens or better? (Yes I know he's one himself.) 20%? 30%?

Why are people so desperate to deal him for, effectively, an extra throw at the draft dartboard and not one with much chance of hitting a single 20 let alone a treble.

 

[BLONG7]

I would not be trading Lehk’s unless the overpayment is huge.

Agreed.........he does alot of the little things, so well.
That said, I hope someone overpays, and we run with it.

 

[CaptainKirk]

Why are people so desperate to deal him for, effectively, an extra throw at the draft dartboard and not one with much chance of hitting a single 20 let alone a treble.

I don't think people are desperate to trade him. It’s just that he’s at peak value right now and depending on his next contract, will likely become less “valuable” to other teams. The consensus seems to be, only trade him for an overpayment. 1st or A prospect. A 2nd round or B prospect aren’t worth it.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Great game from him last night, but was back to being snake bitten Lehkonen. So many chances just couldn’t bury. Do hope we are able to get a great piece for him, it I agree he’s not a guy we need to trade.

 

[Habz4]

Great game from him last night, but was back to being snake bitten Lehkonen. So many chances just couldn’t bury. Do hope we are able to get a great piece for him, it I agree he’s not a guy we need to trade.

He's not snake bitten, he's a very hard working 3rd liner with limited skills. That 2 on 1 in OT where he refused to pass to Caufield and did the Gionta special instead is the perfect example why this guy should not be in a top 6 or on the PP.

 

[NORiculous]

Patrice Bergeron? C'mon, absolutely not.

He's on pace for his career high ppg of 41 points/season.

I think if he really thrives under the MSL "make reads" system he can get 35-45 points a year as a middle6 winger who is defensive responsible. How much is that worth to the Habs... I think we can keep him, sure.

3.5m a year x three years? Would he accept that and do the Habs even have the cap space for that?

I didn’t say Patrice Bergeron. I said Patrice Bergeron type. Meaning solid defensively and offensive production. He has never really had chances on the PP1. He is on a hot streak.

In other words, can this be sustained if he stays a full year on the PP1.

 

[26Mats]

Yes trade him if the offer is good. But Lehkonen isn’t in the same tier as Anderson and much easier to replace

I mean we already have the Lehkonen replacements on the roster. Anderson is not easy to replace at all.

Both Lehk and Anderson are players that other teams value and so I would move them if another team is willing to give us a future that has the potential to be in the future more than they are now and will be in the future.

For Lehkonen that price is a 1st or a good prospect.

For Anderson, that price is a Suzuki-level prospect when we got him in the Pacioretty trade. I wouldn't accept a non-lottery 1st for Anderson. And, for a lottery pick, it would have to be on draft day where I knew the player I wanted to roll the dice on.

 

[Rapala]

From what we know today, it appears they are not tank obsessed. However, I do think they still picking in the top 10 next year. Might be 5-10 vs 1-5... depending on the lottery. I think they are going to try to ice a fast/high energy team while still looking at injecting youth/rebuild.

The key to this is how the 17-21 picks end up and what we do in the next two drafts. Also how we can capitalize on trading some guys for more futures and yes, Lehkonen could be one of them. However, if the best we are offered is a 2nd rounder, why bother? That's basically what most Habs fans are saying. Only trade him if it's worth it.

Lehkonen is of value but he's not going to be the difference between a 16th pick and the 5th pick.

A late first rounder is essentially the same thing. I'm thinking we want + for Lehk.

 

[Rapala]

I agree about selling high on Lehkonen....But that's the key, If you're not getting a 'high' return, don't trade him just for the sake of trading him.

I was at the BC last night. They showed players on jumbotron talking about players they felt were under rated. Nick Suzuki talked about how he admires everything Lehkonen does as a pro. That's good enough for me.

 

[Rapala]

Yes trade him if the offer is good. But Lehkonen isn’t in the same tier as Anderson and much easier to replace

He's not in the same tier yet he's doing a heck of a lot more good for this team game in and game out than Anderson could even dream of. Anderson should be moved if his ratings elsewhere are as high as they are here. We should obviously get two Cadillacs back for him.