Instagram clues could have Rangers and former KHL star Mikko Lehtonen connected

News on Mikko Lehtonen is starting to spread fast. As per Mikko’s Instagram he now follows the New York Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist. We mentioned his previous connections to Lias Andersson and Kaapo Kakko this morning, but these latest follows are definitely new. In today’s social media driven world, you simply can’t disregard this information.

The Case For Lehtonen

Earlier today I laid out the case for Lehtonen. The left side defender would stabilize the bottom pair and provide some offensive punch on the PP. Should the season restart as it appears it will, signing Lehtonen now and burning the ELC right away is fine. He would be an RFA immediately once the season concludes and the Rangers could offer him at least another 1 year deal before he is eligible for unrestricted free agency. That would likely be the best option because it would effectively end Brendan Smith on defense and allow time for Miller and Lundkvist to develop. It also keeps Fox or DeAngelo on the right side where they have excelled this season.

Mikko Lehtonen scores (KUVA © JUUSO PELLAVA – [email protected])

Current rules state he would only be available for regular season games and not the playoffs because he was not listed as a reserve. Of course, the NHL has already discussed rule changes due to this unprecedented pause including expanding rosters to 30 players.

I’ve reached out to the Rangers to see if there’s any news and have not heard back from them. Stay tuned.

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Anthony Scultore has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL since 2014. His work also appears at... More about Anthony Scultore

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