It’s been 75 days since Artturi Lehkonen last played an NHL game. However, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar believes it’s time to bring the forward back into the lineup. The 28-year-old player sustained an injury to his upper body after crashing headfirst into the boards during the game against Seattle Kraken on Nov. 9. After undergoing rehab for over two months, he is now fit to return to the game. Lehkonen traveled with the team on their recent road trip, but Bednar told the media that he kept him out of the lineup despite the possibility of him playing.
Bednar has confirmed that Lehkonen will be activated from long-term injured reserve for tonight’s game against the Washington Capitals. Defenseman Bowen Byram is also set to return from injured reserve after a multi-week absence. Bednar made this announcement during an interview on Wednesday at Altitude Sports 92.5 FM (KKSE-FM).
Lehkonen’s Impact On The Offense.
During the first 12 games of the season, Lehkonen played a significant role for the Avalanche, averaging 18:29 minutes per game, except for the game against Seattle, where he had to leave early due to an injury. The Finnish winger managed to score three goals and provide five assists, which resulted in a total of eight points. Although Lehkonen’s performance was slightly below his career-high of 21 goals and 51 points in 64 games last season, he still made a valuable contribution to the team’s efforts.
His return to the team is expected to help fill the gap left by Valeri Nichushkin and give a much-needed boost to the middle six, which has been struggling to produce significant offense. Although Colorado has scored the second most goals in the league, a large portion of those goals have been scored by Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen. It’s worth noting that Ross Colton and Logan O’Connor have each scored six points in their last five games and are on track to score around 41 points for the season.
The Avalanche hopes that Lehkonen will remain healthy and fit throughout the regular season and into the postseason. Lehkonen has demonstrated exceptional performance in the playoffs, particularly during the 2022 Stanley Cup win, where he scored 14 points in 20 games. Similarly, his contribution was significant in the previous season when he scored three goals and six points in the seven-game loss against the Kraken in the First Round.
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