Leafs sign top European defenceman Mikko Lehtonen
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a big move on the free agency market. GM Kyle Dubas has managed to land the top scoring defenceman in the KHL in the 2019-20 season, Mikko Lehtonen.
Lehtonen, 26, appeared in 60 games with Jokerit this year, registering 49 points (17 goals, 32 assists), which led all KHL defencemen. He represented Jokerit at the 2020 KHL All-Star Game and was named KHL Defenceman of the Month in three consecutive months from November to January. He had a goal and three assists in six KHL playoff games prior to the cancellation of the season. Before joining Jokerit, Lehtonen won an SHL title in 2016-17 as a member of HV71 and captured a Liiga bronze medal in 2017-18 with Tappara.
His contract with the Leafs is a one-year entry-level deal for the 2020-21 season. Lehtonen will be a free agent once again once that contract runs out, unless he signs an extension with Toronto.
When Lehtonen announced he was leaving the KHL in the hopes of signing in North America, the three teams reported to be in the front running were the L.A. Kings, New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens. This signing by Toronto seemed to come out of nowhere.
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YESTERDAY
MAY 18, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Zachary Bolduc | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Rasmus Dahlin | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Phillip Danault | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Greenway | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alex Newhook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Kaiden Guhle | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Beck Malenstyn | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ryan McLeod | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Owen Power | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mattias Samuelsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nick Suzuki | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Alexandre Texier | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Zach Benson | - | - | - | |
| Bowen Byram | - | - | - | |
| Cole Caufield | - | - | - | |
| Kirby Dach | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Demidov | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||