Manny Malhotra opens up on top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki's performance: He can cause a surprise
Photo credit: Wolf Hockey - Youtube
There is no Vancouver Canucks' prospect getting more attention at the Young Stars Classic than 2020 first round pick Jonathan Lekkerimäki.
Manny Malhotra, head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks where Lekkerimäki is likely to start the season, said throughout the 3 game Young Stars tournament the young sniper showed flashes of what makes him so highly touted as a prospect.
Malhotra said he 'settled in' throughout the weekend, but it took some time.
As we went on you saw elements of why he's so talented... I think just the last 3, 4, 5 days he's gotten more comfortable in his environment and more comfortable around the guys, so again a testament to him just being able to settle in and do what got him here.
What got him here, and what Canucks fans hope to see in the near future is a tremendous knack for creating offence and scoring goals.
As a 19 year old in the SHL with Orebro, Lekkerimäki scored 19 goals in 46 games, leading his team in scoring despite the roster being made up of much more experienced players.
The Canucks prospects finished 3-0 in the annual Young Stars Classic, beating all 3 of the Oilers, Jets, and Flames.
Youngsters will now look to force their way onto a Canucks lineup that seems all but determined already as NHL training camp gets underway on Thursday.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 17 | 191 ANSWERS Manny Malhotra opens up on top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki's performance: He can cause a surprise What do you expect Lekkerimäki's role in his first North American season to be? | ||
| Surprise and make the team out of camp | 34 | 17.8 % |
| Top line role with Abbotsford and some NHL games | 123 | 64.4 % |
| Solid top 6 forward in the AHL all year | 30 | 15.7 % |
| Depth role in Abbotsford | 4 | 2.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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