Artturi Lehkonen: Joe Sakic says he overpaid for his services

Right now, we’re wondering what Kent Hughes will do between now and the trade deadline. With Tanner Pearson and Jake Allen seemingly too hard to trade, things could be quiet in Montreal.

After all, the Flanelle don’t really seem to want to trade David Savard or Mike Matheson.

So, yes, the club could be on the move, but Sean Monahan could be the only major deal of the final weeks of the trade deadline.

The Canadiens’ director of amateur scouting is thrilled with the latest gift his general manager has given him in the Sean Monahan deal.

Details https://t.co/xoQeQSqFT2 pic.twitter.com/ol2PVnKQ02

– NHL (@NHL_EN) February 9, 2024

However, it should be specified that even if Matheson or Savard are not to be traded, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are not in a position to refuse to take a call on anyone.

And as Pierre LeBrun mentioned yesterday on BPM Sports, if a player is the subject of an impossible-to-refuse offer…

Basically, what this means is that if you had to bet a rusty old $2 on whether or not one of the Habs’ two big defensemen would leave, put it on whether or not they would stay… knowing full well that anything can happen.

For example? The Artturi Lehkonen situation.

Joe Sakic’s insistence convinced Kent Hughes to give him Lehkonen. The former Avalanche GM (now president) called in 514 for 17 days in a row before Hughes relented.

Lehky became an important piece in Denver, helping the club win the Stanley Cup… and making Nathan MacKinnon say he’d be willing to pay 10 first-round picks for him.

Nathan MacKinnon declared all his love for Artturi Lehkonen following his winning goal pic.twitter.com/o3DO8Jf4nb

– Hockey 360 (@hockey360) June 7, 2022

But if there’s anyone who wouldn’t pay such a price, it’s Joe Sakic.

MacKinnon and Lehkonen’s boss has already told Pierre LeBrun(who spoke to BPM Sports about it again yesterday) that he feels he paid too much for Lehkonen’s services. He said so during the 2022 series (the year of the Cup), during the final.

Justin Barron and a top-two pick in 2024 is too expensive? Is it?

Let’s not forget that Kent Hughes is the type to set his price and wait for his counterparts to offer him what he wants. That’s exactly what happened in 2022 in the case of the forward.

I don’t know how happy Lehkonen must be to hear that. After all, a few days before Sakic’s comments to LeBrun, he had just sent his team to the Cup Final.

Like 2021 with the Habs, basically. #NationalHero

Last year, Artturi Lehkonen was Montreal’s hero; this year, he is Colorado’s.

For the 2nd straight postseason, Lehkonen scores the OT goal to clinch a Stanley Cup Final trip. He is the 2nd player in NHL history to do so, joining Gordie Drillon in 1938-39 for Maple Leafs. pic.twitter.com/uy3HZg9JRd

– ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 7, 2022

You have to admit that Sakic had the flair to target a player who was lacking in finishing ability and to figure that he was the missing piece… to the point of “overpaying” for his services.

In the right environment, Lehkonen moved on to the next level in Denver.

Remember, he wasn’t a rental player either. He was at the end of his contract, but was going to become a restricted free agent only. He finally signed a contract extension worth $4.5 million per year until 2027 to stay with the Avalanche.

I wonder if today, seeing Barron’s development, Sakic has the same opinion…