Vancouver Canucks Send Strong Message to Top Prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki

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Cooper Godin
November 9, 2024 (11:14)

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Vancouver Canucks top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki reportedly won't be called up to the National Hockey League right now.

After trading away Daniel Sprong to the Seattle Kraken and the uncertainty surrounding Brock Boeser after getting injured following a dirty hit against the Los Angeles Kings, many wondered if Jonathan Lekkerimaki, the Canucks' top prospect, would finally be getting called up. However, that doesn't appear to be the case.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki to stay in Abbotsford for now

With the Vancouver Canucks returning home from a three-game road trip to host the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena, it would have been the perfect time to bring up Jonathan Lekkerimaki. He's playing very well down in the American Hockey League and is showing that he's ready to take that next step and become an NHLer.

According to Thomas Drance of The Athletic, while Lekkerimaki's time will be coming soon, he won't be coming up to the Canucks ahead of tonight's game against Edmonton.

"I do expect Jonathan Lekkerimäki to get a look at the NHL level sooner rather than later, but I'm hearing that his debut isn't likely be on Saturday night when the #Canucks host the Oilers." Drance said.

Lekkerimaki, 20, was selected 15th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Last season while in the Swedish Hockey League with Orebro HK, Lekkerimaki took his game to an entirely new level and proved to everyone that he deserved to be a first-round pick. In 46 games with Orebro HK, Lekkerimaki had 31 points (19 goals, 12 assists). He also had an MVP performance at the World Juniors with Sweden, tallying seven goals and ten points in seven games.

The Tullinge, Sweden native is off to a hot start down in Abbotsford in the American Hockey League, as he's put up seven points (five goals, two assists) in seven games.

While it might be a bummer to some fans who were hoping to see Jonathan Lekkerimaki in the NHL right now, it's understandable from the Canucks' point of view and from a development standpoint. Allowing Lekkerimaki to work on the little things in his game before bringing him up to the National Hockey League will do him wonders in the long run.