Mikko Tapani Lehtonen (born 12 June 1978) is a Finnish former ice hockey defenceman. He played 15 games in the National Hockey League with the Nashville Predators during the 2006–07 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1999 to 2014, was mainly spent with Kärpät in the Finnish SM-liiga. Internationally Lehtonen played for the Finnish national team at the 2006 and 2009 World Championships, winning a bronze in 2006.
Playing career Lehtonen appeared in his first National Hockey League game on 7 October 2006 with the Nashville Predators against the Minnesota Wild, and registered his first NHL goal in that game. The goal was scored eight seconds into his first NHL shift, coming one second short of tying the all-time record set by Dave Christian.
On 27 February 2007, Lehtonen was traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a fourth-round pick in the 2007 NHL entry draft.
Having won the Finnish Championship for a third time playing for Oulun Kärpät, Lehtonen signed a one-year deal with Swedish team Timrå IK on 9 June 2008.
On 6 May 2009, Lehtonen signed with Frölunda HC for the 2009–10 Frölunda HC season.Därför valde Lehtonen Frölunda före Timrå
Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1993–94 Kärpät U16 FIN U16 31 2 9 11 26 4 0 2 2 4 1994–95 Kärpät U16 FIN U16 29 4 10 14 78 — — — — — 1995–96 Kärpät U18 FIN U18 15 4 5 9 30 — — — — — 1996–97 Kärpät U20 FIN U20 35 6 19 25 82 — — — — — 1997–98 Kärpät U20 FIN U20 20 3 4 7 40 — — — — — 1998–99 Kärpät U20 FIN U20 22 7 8 15 51 — — — — — 1998–99 Kärpät FIN-2 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1999–00 Kärpät FIN-2 45 5 10 15 26 — — — — — 2000–01 Kärpät FIN 54 6 9 15 58 9 0 3 3 4 2001–02 Kärpät FIN 55 8 11 19 32 4 1 1 2 4 2002–03 Kärpät FIN 55 5 12 17 50 15 3 1 4 22 2003–04 Kärpät FIN 53 5 13 18 62 12 2 4 6 8 2004–05 Kärpät FIN 53 11 17 28 28 12 3 3 6 12 2005–06 Kärpät FIN 43 6 8 14 46 10 2 2 4 12 2006–07 Nashville Predators NHL 15 1 2 3 8 — — — — — 2006–07 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 35 4 8 12 28 — — — — — 2006–07 Rochester Americans AHL 21 1 8 9 10 — — — — — 2007–08 Kärpät FIN 48 8 25 33 34 15 4 5 9 12 2008–09 Timrå IK SWE 41 15 15 30 58 7 0 2 2 0 2009–10 Frölunda HC SWE 9 3 1 4 10 — — — — — 2009–10 Kärpät FIN 11 3 2 5 16 10 1 2 3 8 2010–11 Kärpät FIN 43 12 9 21 46 2 0 2 2 4 2011–12 Kärpät FIN 37 6 8 14 14 7 2 2 4 4 2012–13 Kärpät FIN 40 6 14 20 38 — — — — — 2013–14 Kärpät FIN 26 6 6 12 14 — — — — — FIN totals 518 82 134 216 438 96 18 25 43 90 NHL totals 15 1 2 3 8 — — — — —
International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2006 Finland WC 9 1 4 5 14 2009 Finland WC 7 1 0 1 6 Senior totals 16 2 4 6 20
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