Artturi Lehkonen’s father criticized Mikko Rantanen (and Rantanen responded)

Artturi Lehkonen is a player that Habs fans got to know during his years in Montreal.

We know what kind of player he was (a good defensive player who finally learned to score towards the end of his time in town), but we also know what kind of man he was in Montreal.

Have you ever heard Lehky speak out of turn to the media? Yes, I have.

That said, he’s currently involved, against his will, in a story involving his father and Mikko Rantanen, one of his Colorado Avalanche teammates.

Basically, in a recent interview in Finland, Ismo Lehkonen talked about Rantanen. Rantanen has been a bit of a downer, and Artturi’s father set the record straight.

What did he say? By saying that the player hadn’t done enough this summer to be ready for the season. In his eyes, there were too many distractions for him to be ready.

He didn’t have a very good summer. – Ismo Lehkonen on Mikko Rantanen

Those who think that comments about the quality of his work this summer have changed nothing in the player’s eyes are mistaken.

Basically, after yesterday’s game (in which he scored for the first time since November 22 and picked up three points), Rantanen said he heard comments “from a father of a Finnish teammate” and that it motivated him.

He was making up stories. That performance was for him.

If you speak against others, it will backfire. – Mikko Rantanen on Ismo Lehkonen

Some people on social networks point out that the two like each other and take advantage of the media to annoy each other a little, with all due respect. Let’s just say that if that’s the case, Rantanen hides his game well… or is quite an actor. Attention American directors.

Lehkonen (the father) is a hockey analyst.

Lehkonen had six points – six assists – in nine games before yesterday’s game. He knew he wasn’t playing very well because he wasn’t scoring, but he didn’t like an off-ice story surfacing like that.

As Peter Baugh of The Athletic points out, the relationship between Artturi Lehkonen, who is currently injured, and his teammate is very good. That’s what Rantanen said.

If Ismo Lehkonen was looking for a way to motivate his son’s teammate, he found it. That said, from what we can see, it really looks like a guy who spoke his mind without worrying too much about how it would be received.

When’s the next fathers’ trip, to Colorado? I’m asking for a friend.

In bursts

– Patrick Kane has yet to taste victory in Detroit.

– Things are looking up for Mavrik Bourque in the AHL. [BPM Sports]

– Dodgers want pitchers.

– Great example for hope.

– Why is John Tavares booed in New York?