One possible Artturi Lehkonen exit route could be opening up in Chicago.
The Avalanche are staring at a real decision with the Finnish forward as season’s end approaches. If Lehkonen’s next contract pushes him out of Colorado’s range, the team could be faced with a choice: move him before he leaves for nothing in the offseason, or risk losing him for no return.
That’s where the Blackhawks enter the picture. According to Elliotte Friedman, Chicago is hunting for offense and appears willing to spend meaningful draft capital to get it.
“I do think the Blackhawks are trying to do something. I think they are, in particular, trying to find offensive help.
So, they have five picks in the upcoming draft that are early. They have theirs, which is now looking like it’s going to be a pretty high pick again, they have Edmonton’s, they have Florida’s, and then they have their second-round pick, which looks like it’s going to be pretty, and they have Vancouver’s second-round pick.”
That leaves Chicago with two first-round picks and two second-round picks in the mix, which is exactly the kind of draft ammunition that could make a Lehkonen deal interesting. If Colorado could pull back a first and a second, and maybe add another prospect to the package, that would at least give the Avalanche a real return while also clearing Lehkonen’s $4.5 million cap hit.
For Colorado, that kind of move could create more flexibility heading into the NHL trade deadline.
There’s also a timing issue. Friedman said the Blackhawks want to make something happen now, not later. They’re trying to stop the bleeding and find scoring wingers to pair with Connor Bedard, so if the Avalanche were ever going to strike a deal with a division rival, it would need to happen sooner rather than later.
Still, there are obstacles. Lehkonen has a 12-team no-trade clause, which doesn’t make a move impossible, but it does complicate things. If Chicago happens to be on that list, the path gets even narrower.
And to be clear, this is still speculation. There’s no indication the Avalanche and Blackhawks are actively working on a Lehkonen trade. But if Chicago GM Kyle Davidson is surveying the league for help, Lehkonen is the kind of player who could pop up on the radar if Colorado believes it can’t keep him.
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The payoff for that patience was never clearer than the Stanley Cup run in 2022, when the Avalanche turned years of steady development into the sports ultimate prize. Reaching this latest benchmark only underscores how unusual that kind of long-term coaching relationship can be in the NHL, and how much Colorado has trusted Bednar to guide the team through both the growing pains and the success that followed. [Read more 🡒]