The hard-working forward from Finland established himself with the Montreal Canadiens as a reliable two-way player.with an NHL career-high 31 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 2018-19.

Lehkonen had 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 66 games in 2017-18, missing time because of a back injury. He had 28 points (18 goals, 10 assists) in 73 games as a rookie in 2016-17, helping the Canadiens win the Atlantic Division with 103 points.

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Lehkonen had four points (two goals, two assists) in the Canadiens loss to the New York Rangers in six games in the Eastern Conference First Round.

Lehkonen was selected by the Canadiens in the second round (No. 55) in the 2013 NHL Draft after playing for KalPa in the Finnish Liiga in 2012-2013. The Canadiens signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract on May 8, 2016.

He made his NHL debut Oct. 13, 2016 in a 4-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres and scored his first NHL goal the following game, a 4-3 shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 15.

Lehkonen scored at 1:19 of overtime to lift the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2001 with a 6-5 win against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of the 2022 Western Conference Final. He became the second player in NHL history -- and first in 83 years --- to score an overtime goal to put his team into the Stanley Cup Final multiple times in his career (also Game 6 of 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinal with the Montreal Canadiens). He joined Gordie Drillon, who did it with the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 of the 1938 Semifinals (a best-of-5 series) and again one year later in Game 3 of the 1939 Semifinals (a best-of-3 series).

He also was the second Avalanche player to complete a sweep with an overtime goal, following Uwe Krupp in Game 4 of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, and the second to put them into the Final with an overtime goal (Joe Sakic in Game 5 of the 2001 Western Conference Final).

Lehkonen concluded the 2022 postseason by scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal in Game 6 of the Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He is the seventh NHL player with a series-clinching goal in a conference final and Cup Final during a single postseason, joining Alec Martinez with the 2014 Los Angeles Kings, Max Talbot with the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins, Bobby Smith with the 1986 Montreal Canadiens, Ken Linseman with the 1984 Oilers, Mike Bossy with the 1983 New York Islanders and Toe Blake with the 1946 Canadiens.

Before coming to the NHL, Lehkonen played two seasons for Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League. In 2015-16, he had 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 49 games and a team-record 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in 16 playoff games to help Frolunda win the league championship. He also helped Frolunda win the 2015-16 Champions Hockey League tournament.

Lehkonen had four points (two goals, two assists) in six games to help Finland win the gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• Traded to Colorado by Montreal for Justin Barron and a 2nd-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, March 21, 2022.