It’s been 172 days since Artturi Lehkonen played a game for the Colorado Avalanche, but on Tuesday he will make his 2024-25 debut against the Seattle Kraken at Ball Arena.

During a red-hot postseason in which he scored 11 points (6g/5a) in 11 games, including a goal in each of the first five games, Lehkonen suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery during the offseason.

After a summer of rehab, Lehkonen began to move closer to returning to the lineup, practicing in a non-contact jersey in late September.

As the month of October progressed, Lehkonen continued to make progress toward his return and on November 3 he was activated from Injured Reserve.

Nearly six months after surgery, Lehkonen is back.

“I feel good,” Lehkonen said. “It’s a long recovery, but other than that, I’m excited to get back on the ice.”

Lehkonen returns to a team that has been decimated by injuries through the first 12 games of the season and is currently playing without Ross Colton, Miles Wood, Jonathan Drouin and captain Gabriel Landeskog.

With his return, the Avalanche will welcome a player who has scored at an excellent clip of 61 points during an 82-game season since arriving in Colorado, as well as an elite two-way forward.

“(He’s) one of our best players,” Nathan MacKinnon said. “Probably our best two-way player.”

The Avalanche not only welcomes back an excellent 200-footer, but a unique player, as evidenced by what his teammates and the head coach said about him.

“Just its engine (makes it unique),” MacKinnon said. “He never stops. Forecheck, backcheck, he works so hard every shift and has an incredible attitude, he never gets down, he’s competitive and he really has everything you want in a teammate, just a perfect teammate.”

Cale Makar gave a defender’s perspective on Lehkonen, calling him a “Swiss army knife.”

“It’s fun,” Makar said. “I love that boy. He can play anywhere for us. And then like I said, obviously he plays power plays, key roles, and then (he’s) a great PK guy as well. (He) can block shots. I think he’s a very underrated guy in the corners, recovering them for the best guys.”

Additionally, Logan O’Connor called Lehkonen a “power bunny” and Mikko Rantanen said his fellow Finn is “relentless.”

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar echoed the words of Lehkonen’s teammates, calling him a “puck hound” and noting his hockey IQ.

“He’s a playmaker in his own way,” Bednar said. “And a lot of times it’s just about winning the 50/50 touches and he’s tenacious on pucks, so when he wins those touches good things happen.”

Lehkonen has been an impactful player for the Avalanche since they acquired him on March 21, 2022, and his return provides a huge boost for the Avalanche as they enter the second month of the regular season.