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Jonathan Lekkerimaki - Arrived in Abbotsford

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VanJack said:
I doubt Lekerimakki sees much more than limited duty on the third and fourth lines....but what a season for the kid!

Top teen age scorer in the SHL; MVP at the World Jrs; first AHL goal; and now the World Hockey Championships. I mean, when was the last time a recent Canuck draftee had all that on his resume in just one hockey season?
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Hard to get that SHL scoring & AHL goal. So never?
 
World Hockey Championships are coming up fast.....really hope Lekerimakki can find his way on a regular line with Sweden.

Would be such a great advantage for his development. He'd come to training camp in September flying high in terms of confidence.
 
VanJack said:
World Hockey Championships are coming up fast.....really hope Lekerimakki can find his way on a regular line with Sweden.

Would be such a great advantage for his development. He'd come to training camp in September flying high in terms of confidence.
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I think it’s a long shot. Players will soon be shaking free from eliminated Stanley Cup teams.
 
Lekerimakki just voted the 'teenage player of they year' in the Swedish Hockey League, to add to his laurels this season. Which now includes the MVP of the World Jr. Tournament; a silver medal at the same tournament; and his first AHL goal. And picked for the Tre Kronor squad at the World Hockey Championships next week.

I know conventional wisdom has him spending an entire development year in Abbotsford. But with all the Canucks UFA's and impending changes in the forward group this off season, is there any chance he makes the Canucks out of training camp? At least the possibility of a 10-game 'look-see'?
 
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VanJack said:
Lekerimakki just voted the 'teenage player of they year' in the Swedish Hockey League, to add to his laurels this season. Which now includes the MVP of the World Jr. Tournament; a silver medal at the same tournament; and his first AHL goal. And picked for the Tre Kronor squad at the World Hockey Championships next week.

I know conventional wisdom has him spending an entire development year in Abbotsford. But with all the Canucks UFA's and impending changes in the forward group this off season, is there any chance he makes the Canucks out of training camp? At least the possibility of a 10-game 'look-see'?
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While anything is possible and you could probably force him into the Canucks lineup I think it's obvious to everyone that a year in the AHL is best for him to develop his size and strength all while adjusting to the north american ice.

The motto from Allvin all along has been let em cook.
 
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VanJack said:
Lekerimakki just voted the 'teenage player of they year' in the Swedish Hockey League, to add to his laurels this season. Which now includes the MVP of the World Jr. Tournament; a silver medal at the same tournament; and his first AHL goal. And picked for the Tre Kronor squad at the World Hockey Championships next week.

I know conventional wisdom has him spending an entire development year in Abbotsford. But with all the Canucks UFA's and impending changes in the forward group this off season, is there any chance he makes the Canucks out of training camp? At least the possibility of a 10-game 'look-see'?
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There's nothing keeping him from moving up from the farm next year. Different managers have different development philosophies, but the Canucks current group seems to highly value AHL development to learn systems, details, and pro habits. Hoglander and Podkolzin by comparison were brough into the NHL at their first glimmer of success under Benning, and very nearly ate up all their waiver exemption before they could spend any meaningful time down in the AHL and develop a pro game, which was a big mistake IMO. Thankfully the current group sent them down for their final full year of exemption, which in all honesty may have saved their NHL careers. Hoglander looked like a new player after coming back; Podkolzin still needs some time.

This is all to say that unless Lekk proves himself to be irreplaceable in the lineup in camp, and also shows that he can handle top six ice time while learning in the NHL, he will spend significant time in the AHL next season developing his game for NA pro hockey; our management has shown to really value that. I think he will get 30-40 games and then get re-evaluated at that point when the team is trying to set the roster around the trade deadline, even if he tears up the AHL during that time. It is so much better for the players to get that time down there to learn NA pro hockey right off the hop, than to potentially have initial success only to falter in a couple years due to big holes in their game and then not have the waiver exemption to get sent down. That pattern can kill a career as the player gets sent around the league on waiver claims without ever gaining a foothold anywhere. Might have been exactly Hoglander's story had he not played well enough to stick with the team out of camp this year.
 
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Letterkenny is their 14th forward.

So much for getting actual game experience.


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Don't see any point in leaving him there. When he was originally loaned it was before all these NHL wingers signed on.

Get him back to Vancouver to train
 
Not too shocked that Lekerimakki will probably end up being a 'spare part' at this year's World Hockey Championship.

I recall some posters being optimistic that he'd somehow be an 'everyday forward' for Sweden.....but with all the NHL and SHL arrivals, that was a longshot at best.

I suppose you can't blame the kid. Playing for your country in a World Championship is a dream of every Swedish player. But as far as his development is concerned, he'd have been far better off being inserted into the Abbotsford Canucks lineup for their intense AHL playoff series.

But I suppose he'll learn a lot from just practicing with all the pros at the World Hockey Championships.
 
Lekkermaki will likely need a year to the majority of the year in the AHL. He'll likely get a handful of games at the mid point of the season to give him some exposure to the speed and physicality of the NHL, but I don't think he's going to play and real role next year.

We have other guys that appear to be a bit further along in their development that will likely get the call first. All of Raty, Karlsson, Bains, Sasson, and Podkolzin all deserve a serious look based on the seasons they've had, especially if a couple of them take another step for next year.
 
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MS said:
That is ... very strange considering he played 26/52 games for Djurgardens in 21-22. How was he still considered a rookie?
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Not sure about rookie, but SHL has an U20 Junior of the year award. I remember Petey winning it years ago, and also when Carlsson was anounced last year it was mentioned somewhere around here.
 
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