(TAMPA, FL) Imagine Dany Dubé leaving his position as an analyst during the third period of a Canadiens game to leave Martin McGuire alone for the end of the game. That’s what the NHL game analyst told Yle, Finnish national television, on Sunday.
Posted at 3:00 a.m.
But he had a damn good excuse: the analyst in question is Ismo Lehkonen, Artturi’s father.
“When there were 10 minutes left in the third period, I went downstairs and watched the last seven minutes from below. My partner finished the match alone. He just said to me: go, go! »
This means that Ismo Lehkonen was able to participate in the description of the winning goal of the Stanley Cup… scored by his son!
WILLIAM LFRANCOIS
Ismo Lehkonen, interviewing Ville Touru, a Finnish colleague
“It’s cliché, but I don’t care who scores the goals. The fact that it’s Artturi is a bonus, he explained to The Press, on the Amalie Arena ice rink, with a big smile. The important thing is the victory. We have a saying that there is victory, and there is misery. It was Artturi who scored, but it was a team goal. »
The Avalanche have found their account
Those might be goals for the team, but Joe Sakic can certainly be rubbing his hands for the trade he made.
The Avalanche GM sacrificed a former first-round pick in Justin Barron, as well as a pick of 2e turn in 2024 to snatch Lehkonen from the Canadian.
It will be necessary to wait years before knowing if the Habs will find their account. But at the Avalanche, we don’t ask ourselves too many questions.
What Sakic has gotten so far? Six goals in 16 games at the end of the season, 8 goals in 20 games in the playoffs, but above all, the winning goals of the Stanley Cup Final and the Western Final.
PHOTO GUILLAUME LEFRANÇOIS, THE PRESS
Artturi Lehkonen, surrounded by his younger brother and younger sister. His other brother and sister couldn’t be in Tampa for the game.
Number 62 had also put on the winning net in the association final last year for the Canadian, during the famous “St-Han” match. “It’s a really good feeling. When I scored my goal in the second half, I was hoping it would count as the winning goal, but I was trying not to think about it too much,” Lehkonen said.
As he did in Montreal, Lehkonen spent this final with different line partners. Sometimes, with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Sometimes, with Nazem Kadri as a center. We also saw him start a meeting with Darren Helm and Logan O’Connor.
In short, the versatility that we saw in him in Montreal, he had it here too. Except that he was also allowed to play with the best offensive elements of the Avalanche and that he was a permanent member of the power play units. Nice way to break his reputation as a strictly defensive player, isn’t it?
“He scored a lot of big goals, so I don’t know if that reputation is fair,” Sakic said. He always scored big goals. He’s so good defensively, maybe that’s why people see him that way. But he makes lots of little plays with the puck that few people notice. »
Father’s response? “I don’t mind how people see it. For me, the important thing is to be a team player. By working hard at all attendances, that’s how you make friends! »
And the main interested party, him? “Honestly, I know what kind of player I am. Sometimes it fits. Sometimes not. I just try to be a good teammate, to help the team no matter how. »
Whatever happens, Lehkonen’s contract expires in a few days. He should then be a free agent with compensation, but he has given himself all the tools to negotiate from a position of strength! Already the Avalanche are tight under the salary cap…
“I hope he will blow up our payroll! launched Sakic. But it will be in two years, because he already has a contract for next year. »
The interviews went quickly, and this kind of response always creates some doubt. What if we had missed the announcement of a contract extension somewhere this spring?
After verification, no new agreement between Lehkonen and the Avalanche has yet been announced. Did Sakic escape? We should know in the next few days!