Confirmed with Link: [TOR/CBJ] LD Mikko Lehtonen to CBJ for G Veini Vehvilainen

[BertCorbeau]

This is true .. the Dermott-Bogo pairing has been rock solid, as good as you'd like out of your third pairing. And with Sandin and Liljegren on deck there's some insurance policy for the playoffs.

 

[zeke]

Man VV had great effin stats in Europe before flopping in NA last year:

Age 17: Mestis 26gms, .927 --- Plyff 4gms, .922 ------- WJC-18 7gms, .949
Age 18: Liiga 28gms, .925 ------ Plyff 3gms, .796 ------- WJC-20 4gms, .838
Age 19: Liiga 18gms, .918 ------ Plyff ------------------------- WJC-20 6gms, .931
Age 20: Liiga 35gms, .925 ------ Plyff 17gms, .933
Age 21: Liiga 38gms, .933 ----- Plyff 17gms, .939
Age 22: AHL 33gms, .901
Age 23: NHL 1gms, .750 ---- AHL 1gms, .875 ---- Liiga 13gms, .896

Might be something there yet. I'm not sure these two covid years are enough to call this young goalie a non-prospect quite yet.

 

[Nylanderthal]

Although the reasoning for this isn’t apparent on the surface (quality depth D for AHL goalie) I feel that KD & co. has earned enough trust IMO that there’s more to this in that either they really see something in the goalie, or it was promised to Mikko that if he wasn’t going to play here than he’d be moved somewhere where he will.
That in of itself is a good move as it will show prospective euro players that we do right by them in providing every opportunity to show they’re nhl caliber.

 

[Dragao6]

Does this save us any cap?
2 ways contract or whatever?

 

[BertCorbeau]

seriously?? our GM is that much a little bitch??

a player that has no standing to push his agenda ,,takes trump card over the need of D depth in the POs,,when your #1 D replacement is on the IR?

You're overreacting to a minor move

 

[Kiwi]

Deals like this can help keep the Leafs' reputation with Russian UFA's solid. If they can't give them the opportunity with their club, they'll try to get them an opportunity elsewhere.

That's a good point Bert

Most of those guys have the same agent so keeping a good working relationship with him is extremely important, I'm more than happy to give Lehtonen a chance elsewhere if we are the team guys like Soup choose to come to first

 

[Twine Tickler]

This has to be a save face move for the club. Cannot attract future euro UFA's by sitting them the whole time. We have 2 guys that we signed that we have used sparingly, and Mikko was relatively high profile. We may lose this deal in the immediate, but if we can continue to get euro FA's as a result of our commitment to give them a chance, I really don't mind the loss. I have no clue about this goalie we got in return. I really can't see any future for a 6 foot goalie in the NHL. Maybe I'm wrong

 

[zeke]

Lehtonen? Can't say he showed me anything to be excited about.

 

[ToneDog]

Man VV had great effin stats in Europe before flopping in NA last year:

Age 17: Mestis 26gms, .927 --- Plyff 4gms, .922 ------- WJC-18 7gms, .949
Age 18: Liiga 28gms, .925 ------ Plyff 3gms, .796 ------- WJC-20 4gms, .838
Age 19: Liiga 18gms, .918 ------ Plyff ------------------------- WJC-20 6gms, .931
Age 20: Liiga 35gms, .925 ------ Plyff 17gms, .933
Age 21: Liiga 38gms, .933 ----- Plyff 17gms, .939
Age 22: AHL 33gms, .901
Age 23: NHL 1gms, .750 ---- AHL 1gms, .875 ---- Liiga 13gms, .896

Might be something there yet.

Could be but didn't Lehtonen have good numbers in the KHL ?? How many NHL goalies are 6' tall at the moment ??

 

[Faltorvo]

Are we giving Sandin a shot when he comes back or are we just going to keep forcing Dermott out there?

he has played 1 game since the start of 2020

and you want to stuff him into a tough PO race coming off major injury??

HARD pass

 

[MattySnipes]

I liked Lehtonen in his brief appearances. Too bad he wasn't given a real shot, also Leafs have a lot of dmen so something had to give.

Lehtonen offensive ability and awareness was pretty good, felt he could further develop defensive awareness if given a legit shot but probably has something to do with Keefe trusting other players.

All the best Mikko. With Seth Jones stinking up the joint maybe Mikko will wake him up.

 

[Burnie97]

I personally look forward to Dermott blowing his knee out next game with Sandin already hurt opening the door for the return of MARTIN MARINCIN

Please no... although I could see it happening too

But please... no

Dude is like a cockroach... him playing in the Lineup never seems to die.

I'm sure he's a good guy... he can pk... that's it.

 

[Warden of the North]

There's gotta be another move for a Damn coming, right?

No way Dubas trades D depth in what is looking to be our best shot at a Cup in decades. Makes no sense

 

[GrizzGreen]

Marincin inches closer.

ReturnOfTheKing.gif

 

[tmlms13]

He was the backup goalie on that loaded Finland team where Kapanen scored the OT Golden Goal on Home Ice.

Laine, Aho, Puljujarvi, Rantonen, Kapanen,

 

[BertCorbeau]

Lehtonen? Can't say he showed me anything to be excited about.

Some nice flashes of offensive ability and skating but what concerned me was his size in the corners.. Looked small there and easily pushed around, not super strong on his skates.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

seriously?? our GM is that much a little bitch??

a player that has no standing to push his agenda ,,takes trump card over the need of D depth in the POs,,when your #1 D replacement is on the IR?

I haven’t been on this board in a long time, but do you always overreact like this?

 

[Buds17]

Longer term implications with Lehtonen being a pending UFA and Vehvilainen only being an RFA? Doesn't do much for the defensive depth presently though.

 

[IPS]

Annnd what exactly is the point of this move?

 

[Twine Tickler]

Lehtonen? Can't say he showed me anything to be excited about.

Ya I will admit I was very excited to see him in a leaf sweater. Just never wow'd me with anything. I fully suspect he has some game left, and hope the best for him. But I really don't think we gave away an all-star. Basically Marc-Andre Bergeron but Finnish

 

[DarkKnight]

It’s all happening!

 

[Black hat blue eyes]

he has played 1 game since the start of 2020

and you want to stuff him into a tough PO race coming off major injury??

HARD pass

Deleted. Realized I miss read the original quote

 

[BertCorbeau]

Also, the Leafs have a similar type of d-man in Calle Rosen as well who has had a good start with the Marlies this year IIRC

 

[Nylanderthal]

seriously?? our GM is that much a little bitch??

a player that has no standing to push his agenda ,,takes trump card over the need of D depth in the POs,,when your #1 D replacement is on the IR?

Really?

 

[justashadowof]

I bet the Leafs' people like Vehvilainen more than this thread is recognizing. Look at that performance 2 years ago for Karpat for 2 straight seasons. Their eyes were on him for a while now. Rynnas and Kivihalme were teammates in Karpat.