Avalanche Reveal Specific Lehkonen Return Timeline

Artturi Lehkonen has been out of the Colorado Avalanche lineup for exactly one month, and has now returned to the ice for some light skating at the Avs practice facility for the first time since suffering the neck injury. He's certainly come a long way since being in a neck brace last month.

And while his return has been somewhat of a mystery until now, the Avs have just laid down a pretty specific timeline:

Jared Bednar on Artturi Lehkonen: “He’s doing great.”

Said his timeline (neck) was originally set at 10-12 weeks. He’s just passed four weeks.

“Hopefully he can beat that timeline, but we don’t really know just yet. He’s making good progress.”

— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) December 9, 2023

Head coach Jared Bednar has pronounced: “His injury was a 10-12 week injury, and he’s just past the four-week mark." This means that we're looking at a return right around the end of January. 

"To see the progress he’s making and to get him on the ice, that’s a good sign," said Bednar. "Hopefully he can beat that timeline, but we don’t really know just yet.”

Lehkonen was off to another fine start this season, recording 8 points in 12 games, in 18:30 of ice time a night. Last year, the Finnish winger recorded his first 20-goal season with a career-high 51 points in 64 games. 

Photo: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports