Mikko Rantanen blasts Artturi Lehkonen’s father for his comments

This is not something you see often in an NHL locker room, but Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen was ticked.

After Colorado beat the Calgary Flames 6-5 on Monday night, and Rantanen scored a goal to tie the game in the third period, he went off.

Speaking at his locker, Rantanen told the media he had a little extra motivation. And this is where it gets weird. Apparently, Rantanen was not happy with comments made by Artturi Lehkonen’s father and put him on blast. Lehkonen is a top-6 forward for the Avs and currently hurt.

Take a listen for yourself, with a warning there’s some foul language used by Rantanen.

"One of our Finnish NHL players' dad was talking s—t about me”

Mikko Rantanen CALLED OUT Artturi Lehkonen’s dad for some comments that his dad Ismo made on Finnish TV about Mikko’s slump 😳

(h/t @DNVR_Avalanche) pic.twitter.com/Ckocxn9Vdx

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 12, 2023

According to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh, Ismo Lehkonen, who’s an analyst in Finland said Rantanen “didn’t have a very good summer.” He also added that perhaps he “took the summer a little more calmly” and “didn’t practice as much as in previous summers.”

Clearly those comments made their way back to Rantanen, and he wasn’t happy. For what it’s worth, Rantanen told Baugh that he and Artturi Lehkonen “are totally good friends and teammates,” and the issue is with Ismo Lehkonen.

Rantanen is having a great season, scoring 13 goals and adding 21 assists. His 34 points are third on the Avs behind Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. But he also hadn’t scored since Nov. 22 until last night, so it’s good Ismo Lehkonen got him fired up.

We’ll see what comes of this moving forward, but for now, it appears to have helped the Avalanche in a strange way.

(Update 1:10 p.m.) –

After Avalanche practice on Tuesday, Rantanen clarified again that he and Artturi Lehkonen are just fine.

Mikko Rantanen, the day after…

“Everything is okay. Just Finnish journalism who happens to be Artturi’s dad. Me and Art are really good buddies, been forever, and I love him…just a journalist questioning my professionalism…that’s what pushed me over the edge a little bit.”

— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) December 12, 2023

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