September 20th, 2024
Alex Rickman
While there may not be as many openings for spots on the Canucks roster as there have been in previous years, top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimäki appears to be making a run at claiming one of the few available jobs. Following a strong showing in the SHL with Örebro last season and a brief stint in the AHL, the hype around the 2022 first-round pick has been growing steadily in Vancouver. Now, fresh off of an excellent Young Stars tournament and being given a chance to show what he can do on a line with Elias Pettersson and Jake Debrusk on the first day of training camp, many are wondering if there is a chance that Lekkerimäki could begin the 2024-25 season in the NHL.
Right now, we can’t be sure where Lekkerimäki will begin his season. A lot can change between the first day of camp and the beginning of the regular season, and the Canucks coaching staff will almost certainly experiment with other line combinations before opening night, giving other wingers a chance to prove that they should be the ones playing on Petey’s flank. However, it’s clear that Lekkerimäki is thought of highly by the Canucks staff, and that they at least feel he is worthy of an opportunity to showcase what he can do in the top six. So what has Lekkerimäki done to deserve this chance, and how likely is it that he will find himself in the NHL in October?
Lekkerimäki’s shot and nose for the net alone give him a case to be given a chance to play alongside Elias Pettersson. It’s no secret that Pettersson has not been given sufficient help on the wings in recent years, and the Canucks have made giving him better support one of their top offseason priorities. Adding Jake Debrusk in free agency should be a large help on this front, but someone else still needs to provide support on the other wing. Options like Daniel Sprong, Nils Höglander, and Danton Heinen all present interesting cases for this spot, but all have their own drawbacks. While Lekkerimäki remains unproven, the potential he brings to this line cannot be ignored. If the flashes Lekkerimäki has shown are a reflection of his true potential, a Debrusk-Pettersson-Lekkerimäki line could be one of the best second lines the Canucks have seen in a long time.
Potential is great, but is Lekkerimäki ready to play in the NHL full-time? This, unfortunately, cannot be properly answered right now but will be worth a try in the preseason and early goings of the regular season. Whether or not he is ready to go this early, the key to unlocking Lekkerimäki’s full potential lies in not rushing him as the Canucks so often did with prospects during the Jim Benning era, so if it is decided that the time for him to make the jump to the show is not now, Lekkerimäki should immediately be sent to the AHL to play in Abbotsford’s top six. No matter if he’s in the NHL or AHL, Lekkerimäki should be given a chance to be the top six player that the Canucks drafted him to be. There’s no point in turning a prospect with the potential to be a top-notch winger into a bottom-six piece, so give him a chance to be the top-six player he can be at whatever level of hockey will allow him to shine.
From what we’ve seen and heard about Lekkerimäki so far, there is no reason to believe he can’t earn a spot on Pettersson’s wing in the near future. However, for this to come true, we need to see this potential continue carrying over into more and more difficult levels of competition. We also have to remember that if he is not ready right away to make the jump to the NHL, that does not mean he may not earn a look in the NHL at some point this season, or that he can’t be a full-time NHLer after spending a full season in the AHL. From what we’ve seen of him so far, it seems like the Canucks have found a top-notch piece for the organizations future in Lekkerimäki. The key now will be letting him prove himself at his own pace and giving him the opportunities he needs to blossom into the top-six forward that the Canucks believe he can be.