It’s another roundtable on the Montreal Canadiens as several things have taken place that can impact their chances at qualifying for the playoffs.
1) What have you made of Artturi Lehkonen’s game since joining Max Domi and Andrew Shaw?
Emmanuel D: Lehkonen has been playing some good hockey as of late and giving him a chance to play with their best offensive forward in Max Domi may be what he needs to break his slump in terms of goal-scoring. If Lehkonen finds his consistency with five games left, it could be a big win for the team. Having the chance to play with Shaw and Domi may serve as a confidence booster due to being given a bigger role.
Dillon ‘Dom’ Dominique: This is a funny one for me. I had actually told many people on Twitter before the season started that I thought Domi and Lehky would make a great duo. With Domi being one of the better playmakers in the league especially with passes to the slot, combined with Lehkonen’s knack for going to the net, I thought pairing them would be a no brainer. Julien tried it earlier in the season, but it didn’t seem to work for whatever reason. Add Shaw with his physicality and willingness to go to the dirty areas, not to mention he’s having himself a career year with 42 points in only 58 games played and you have a well-balanced line of speed, grit and hard work.
Joshua Delorme: Expectations for Artturi Lekhonen’s game have been all over the place since his rookie break-out season. All I know is how dependable he is defensively. He is one of the team’s best penalty killers and best players away from the puck. However, I have been pleasantly surprised since Julien put him on a line with Shaw and Domi.
I wasn’t sure what that line would look like and what they would be able to accomplish offensively. When I really think about it, it seems like every player that plays on a line with Max Domi seems to produce and succeed. Lehkonen has been able to find the net a few times in the past week, but I think the most important thing is to have proper expectations for his game. I think at this point Lekhonen is what he is: a strong defensive player that can contribute about 15 goals per year. Nothing wrong with that, those types of players are needed in the League.