A year ago, following Artturi Lehkonen’s 18-goal rookie season and an exceptional playoff performance, the outlook for the young responsible Finnish winger was positive. Many expected him to improve, if not become one of the Montreal Canadiens’ core contributors in 2017-18. But, like the team around him, he wasn’t able to achieve the expectations put upon him.
A combination of injuries and unlucky play led to the dreaded sophomore slump, landing at number seven on the team goal-scoring list after scoring just 12, and adding nine assists. However, there is still reason to believe this was simply a blip on the radar for the young Finn, as it was for most of the Canadiens.