Judging from the above clip, the 21-year-old Finnish prospect who will be attending the Montreal Canadiens’ training camp next month should surprise many and potentially permanently join the big club.
He seems to have most of what it takes to make it: a good shot, passing abilities as well as proper hand-eye coordination and puck handling skills, on-ice vision, speed, and a nose for the net. He anticipates plays well, and can virtually score from anywhere.
However, with players such as Sven Andrighetto and Daniel Carr also looking to crack the top-6, many are wondering just where Lehkonen fits within the Habs’ lineup.
While he was initially deployed in a more defensive role in the early stages of his young career, Frolunda HC’s head coach Roger Ronnberg allowed the left wing to flourish with significantly more offense-oriented responsibilities, an opportunity that he more than seized:
His success is evidenced by his 16 goals in 49 regular season games, and most notably by his 11 tallies and 19 points in 16 playoff games en route to a SHL championship. He broke Daniel Alfredsson’s 2005 postseason goals record, and eventually led his team to a Le Mat Trophy with his 2 goals in the final game of the playoffs.
The question remains: is there room for the player many are calling the Canadiens’ best prospect? Ronnberg certainly thinks so. He told Hockeysverige.se’s Uffe Bodin that he does not expect to see Lehkonen back in the SHL next season. In other words, the 2013 55th overall draft pick is going to impress the Habs’ brass so much that he’ll be ready to finally start his career in North America.
Personally, I believe he should fit right into the lineup granted that he plays on the second line. I’d hate to see Michel Therrien wrongfully assign Lehkonen to strictly defensive duties on the bottom-6. While I might not have any issues with the Finnish forward playing on a third line with the objective to provide offense, I don’t think he’s a role player suited for fourth-line duties.
With that in mind, it’s looking more and more like the Bleu Blanc et Rouge will have balanced scoring depth across the entire lineup...
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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