DENVER — Artturi Lehkonen isn't one to make a big deal out of himself. He'd rather do his job, score his goals and move on to the next game.
That's part of what makes him so good. It's also why the Colorado Avalanche shouldn't wait much longer to get a contract extension done.
Lehkonen scored twice in Thursday night's 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena, giving him six goals through eight games. His previous best through eight games was three, set during the 2024-25 season.
He's never started an NHL season like this, and he's doing it in the final year of his contract.
Lehkonen signed a five-year, $22.5 million deal with Colorado in July 2022, just after helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup. He hasn't signed an extension, and if he keeps scoring at this pace, his next contract could get a lot more expensive.
The funny thing is, Lehkonen probably wouldn't give himself much credit for any of it.
Earlier this month, I asked him how he prepares for those moments when a game is on the line. His answer was about as humble as you'd expect.
“I don't know, it's... Just trying to find that being in the right place at the right time, I guess.”
That's Lehkonen. Six goals in eight games, a history of scoring huge playoff goals, and he makes it sound like he's just getting lucky.
But there's a reason he's always around when the Avalanche need a goal.
Lehkonen goes to the net. He fights for loose pucks. He does the work in the corners and isn't afraid to take a hit to make a play. He's not waiting for the perfect opportunity to score. He works until one comes his way.
We've seen what that looks like in the playoffs. Lehkonen scored the overtime winner against Edmonton in the 2022 Western Conference Final before scoring the goal that clinched the Stanley Cup against Tampa Bay. A year earlier, he scored in overtime to send Montreal to the Final.
He has a knack for showing up when it matters. That's not luck. That's who he is as a player.
And now he's putting up career-best numbers to go with everything else he brings to Colorado.
The Avalanche have plenty of stars, but players like Lehkonen are a big part of what makes a team successful. He can score, defend and play the hard minutes. He doesn't need the spotlight, and he doesn't need to be the best player on the ice to make a difference.
The goals are just making his value harder to ignore.
Colorado still has to manage its salary cap, and there's a long way to go this season. But the Avalanche know what Lehkonen brings. He's already helped them win a championship, and he's showing again why he's such a good fit.
The longer they wait, the more expensive he could potentially become.
Lehkonen will probably keep doing what he's always done. He'll shrug off the goals, give credit to his teammates and get ready for the next game. He isn't going to make a public fuss about his contract or tell anyone how much he's worth.
That's fine. He shouldn't have to.
Joe Sakic needs to make sure the business side gets taken care of.
Sign Artturi Lehkonen.