Avs dish out another big contract to a guy who scored huge playoff goals

Let the good times roll!

The Colorado Avalanche agreed to a five-year contract with forward Artturi Lehkonen on Wednesday, bringing him back for an average annual value of $4.5 million per year. Lehkonen was a restricted free agent, but the Avs didn’t want to lose him after giving up a top prospect at the trade deadline in March.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic was the first to report the deal.

Lehkonen extension in Colorado: $4.5 M AAV x five years@TSNHockey @TheAthletic

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 13, 2022

Lehkonen scored the winning goal in OT of Game 4 in Western Conference Final to send the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Final, a 6-5 winner over the Edmonton Oilers. He also tallied the eventual game-winner in Game 6 of the Final against Tampa Bay, a 2-1 Colorado victory.

Lehkonen was brilliant for the Avs overall in the playoffs, tallying 14 points on eight goals and six assists. He had 19 goals and 19 assists between the Avs and Montreal Canadiens in the regular season.

The Avalanche’s cap space is rapidly falling, as the team has now locked up Lehkonen, Josh Manson, Darren Helm, Valeri Nichushkin and Andrew Cogliano to free agent deals. Nazem Kadri remains on the market, while Darcy Kuemper is headed to Washington.

Overall, Avs president Joe Sakic and new GM Chris MacFarland have done a great job of keeping this core together. It’s a team that looks more than capable of repeating as Stanley Cup champions.

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