Jonathan Lekkerimaki's coach and former Canucks makes promising statement on the scoring winger
Patrik Allvin and his scouting team selected back-to-back Swedes with their latest first-rounders. From Tom Willander and Jonathan Lekkerimaki, it doesn't look like they missed.
LEKKERIMAKI ON FIRE SINCE LAST YEAR'S PLAYOFFS
Previously playing in the Hockey Allsvenkan, Lekkerimaki had a slow start, but he picked things up nicely in the playoffs and still hasn't slowed down.
The scoring winger has three goals in 4 games with Obrero HK in the SHL, which equals the total he managed in 29 games last year.
The former Canucks and now Obrebro head coach, Johan Hedberg, was on Donnie and Dhali and spoke on the winger's game. He was excited about his development, but the fact that he highlighted his playmaking rather than his shot speaks loudly about his versatility as an offensive weapon:
'' He has a great shot, but his playmaking is elite; he is much more structured than I thought. He has big-time NHL potential.''
The Canucks used the 15th overall pick in 2022 to land Lekkerimaki. Viewed as the best offensive winger in his draft class, he's drawn early comparisons to a fellow Swede star, William Nylander.
At the end of the 2022-2023 season, Allvin inked Lekkerimaki to his entry-level deal; he will be playing in the SHL this season but could join the Abbotsford Canucks for a late playoffs push. The forward could transition to the NHL as soon as next year.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 26 | 314 ANSWERS Jonathan Lekkerimaki's coach and former Canucks makes promising statement on the scoring winger Are you still confident in Lekkerimaki's abillity to grow into an NHLer? | ||
| Yes | 258 | 82.2 % |
| No | 56 | 17.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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