Since the news that forward Sammy Blais was going to be out for the remainder of the NHL regular season, the New York Rangers have been searching to improve on their bottom-six depth. Perhaps not surprisingly, one player that has drawn their interest is winger Artturi Lehkonen of the Montreal Canadiens.
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As per a report by Arthur Staple of The Athletic: “…sources told the Athletic that Drury and his former boss, Canadiens operations chief Jeff Gorton, have been in contact regarding Lehkonen. The talks are believed to be preliminary.”
Lehkonen doesn’t offer a ton of offense — just four goals and eight assists in 33 games — but he can provide a more well-rounded balance in the Rangers bottom-six. His defensive skills make him valuable and he leads all Montreal forwards in penalty killing time. In other words, he seems to be performing admirably despite less than ideal circumstances in Montreal and him not quite providing the same offense he did in his rookie season.
He is a pending restricted free agent currently making $2.3 million. He also has a qualifying offer of $2.3 million and since he wouldn’t be considered a rental, the Canadiens wouldn’t be giving him away.
The question will be what the Rangers are willing to part with and questions about whether or not the Habs might ask for a first-round pick or a high-end prospect don’t make this a slam dunk trade by any means. When you consider the Rangers will need to keep some cap space open to fit in the contracts of players like Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad, the team might place a priority on unrestricted free agents.
Next: Rangers May Look to Add Forward On Expiring Deal Ahead of Deadline
