Among the teams interested in the Habs forward, there could be the Vegas Golden Knights, but perhaps not for the reasons we think.
The Knights are stuck with the salary cap, due to the Jack Eichel trade.
Mark Stone being on the long-term injured list allows the team to breathe a little easier, but once he's back, they will have to make room under the cap.
Also, according to TSN 690 insider Marko D'Amico, that's where a player like Artturi Lehkonen could be of great asset for the Golden Knights. He raised the idea:
The Canadians would have to obtain more than an Evgeny Dadonov, he who has a similar production to that of Lehkonen this season with 21 points in 47 games.
If we can get Dadonov and a good pick or a solid prospect, for Lehkonen, it can become very interesting, especially since Dadonov could be a player who can bring another good youngster or a good pick, on his own, if the Habs absorbs part of his salary. It's an option that Kent Hughes could definitely consider to maximize his value.
Do you like the idea?
One team I think would be very interested in Lekhonen is Vegas.
They saw what he could do first hand, and they'll be moving big $$$ wingers to make room under the Cap real soon.
At 50% retained, Lekhy could provide them with fantastic value at 1/4 the cost of Dadonov.� Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) February 17, 2022