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.

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (February 2014)

Quick Facts Born, Height ...

Mikko Lehtonen
Lehtonen with Timrå IK in 2008
Born	(1978-06-12) 12 June 1978 (age 45) Kiiminki, Finland
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	209 lb (95 kg; 14 st 13 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Nashville Predators Timrå IK Frölunda HC Färjestads BK Kärpät
National team	Finland
NHL draft	271st overall, 2001 Nashville Predators
Playing career	1999–2014

Close

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.^{[citation needed]}

On 27 February 2007, Lehtonen was traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a fourth-round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[1]

On 6 May 2009, Lehtonen signed with Frölunda HC for the 2009–10 Frölunda HC season.^[2]