In the high-stakes world of NHL trade deadlines, one decision can reshape franchises for years. A recent revelation from Pierre McGuire has pulled back the curtain on a near-miss that could have altered the trajectories of the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Colorado Avalanche in profound ways.
Artturi Lehkonen, then a reliable two-way forward for the Canadiens known more for his defensive reliability and checking prowess than flashy offensive production, was on the move in March 2022. Kent Hughes, Montreal’s general manager, ultimately sent him to the Colorado Avalanche. What has now come to light is that Ottawa was seriously in the mix — and submitted a concrete offer of its own.
McGuire, who worked with the Senators that season, shared the exclusive detail on The Sick Podcast. Ottawa had been monitoring Lehkonen closely and liked him a great deal. The Senators were interested enough to place a formal trade proposal on Hughes’ desk. In the end, however, that package fell short of what Colorado put forward. The Canadiens chose the Avalanche’s offer, and Lehkonen headed west.
The rest is history that still resonates. With Colorado, Lehkonen found the perfect environment. He contributed meaningfully to the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup championship and later developed into a more productive offensive contributor than he had shown in Montreal. In Ottawa, those outcomes almost certainly would not have materialized in the same way. The Senators of that era were not positioned to deliver a Cup, and the opportunity for Lehkonen’s offensive breakout may never have arrived.
For the Canadiens, the decision proved beneficial in the longer term. The trade tree that began with Lehkonen eventually helped Montreal acquire Alexandre Carrier, a mobile, responsible defenseman who has become a useful piece for head coach Martin St-Louis. Without that original deal, Montreal’s blue line would look noticeably different today.
Embed X: https://twitter.com/DLCoulisses/status/2084974803266510904
The revelation underscores how thin the margins can be in player evaluation and trade negotiations. Lehkonen was viewed as a solid, well-rounded depth piece rather than a high-upside offensive weapon at the time. Hughes correctly identified greater value in Colorado’s return. Ottawa’s interest was real and serious, yet their offer was ultimately judged inferior. One different choice, and the ripple effects would have touched three organizations: no Stanley Cup for Lehkonen in Colorado, a different defensive core in Montreal, and a potentially stronger middle-six presence in Ottawa during a critical rebuild window.
It remains an intriguing “what if” in recent NHL history. The Canadiens were one decision away from a completely different future. Instead, Kent Hughes passed on Ottawa’s offer, and the pieces fell into place in ways that continue to benefit both Montreal and Colorado. In the ruthless calculus of the trade deadline, that call looks sharper with every passing season.