Jonathan Lekkerimaki - Arrived in Abbotsford

[Bobby9]

Anybody think he can add 7-8 lbs this off season without it affecting his play?
15 lbs in 2 years would be the goal

 

[Raistlin]

Anybody think he can add 7-8 lbs this off season without it affecting his play?
15 lbs in 2 years would be the goal

depends on his genetics. I agree his ideal weight will be around 180lbs. I believe its better for his development if he spends his whole year in abbotsford, but no doubt after an off season of training, he should be ready to play for the big club full time, he has a spot penciled in next to EP or Chytil, esp if he does bulk up some more.

 

[barriers]

 

[Bobby9]

depends on his genetics. I agree his ideal weight will be around 180lbs. I believe its better for his development if he spends his whole year in abbotsford, but no doubt after an off season of training, he should be ready to play for the big club full time, he has a spot penciled in next to EP or Chytil, esp if he does bulk up some more.

185-190 would be wonderful but might be to much and affect his speed

 

[potatowejj]

His release on his wrist/snap shot reminds me of Laine's.

 

[arttk]

Let him cook in the A.

might not be much help to him if he is to be inserted into our team in a mist of a playoff push. too much pressure on him.

Let him cook in the gym

 

[tantalum]

Right now the physicality and pace of the NHL are difficult for him. He's better off in the AHL at the moment. There's no point of him being in Vancouver if he's going to get thumped physically and shredded defensively.

Disagree. There is value in giving youth exposure to the level they need to get to. It's one thing to be told/watch but quite another to experience it yourself.

The organization also gets a read on how he is progressing by playing games in the NHL.

 

[arttk]

Disagree. There is value in giving youth exposure to the level they need to get to. It's one thing to be told/watch but quite another to experience it yourself.

The organization also gets a read on how he is progressing by playing games in the NHL.

Yeah getting called up a couple times is not a bad thing, gives him opportunity to see himself if what he worked on in the A works in the NHL.
I think he still needs to get bigger to stick but getting callups is not a bad thing.

 

[IComeInPeace]

Is there any chance this is management showcasing Lekkerimaki before the TDL?

If the rumors of us looking to add a top of the lineup player are true I think we can realistically expect at least one of Lekkerimaki or Willander to be a part of any package we attempt to put together.

 

[tantalum]

Yeah getting called up a couple times is not a bad thing, gives him opportunity to see himself if what he worked on in the A works in the NHL.
I think he still needs to get bigger to stick but getting callups is not a bad thing.

I don't disagree. But that is a typical thing for young players. A need to get stronger/more physically fit to be able to compete at the highest level.

I understand letting a player develop in the minors and letting him cook. But if you have a 20 year old guy in his first year in NA who is performing at the level he has been...well the cooking in the minors is all but done.

 

[Blue and Green]

Disagree. There is value in giving youth exposure to the level they need to get to. It's one thing to be told/watch but quite another to experience it yourself.

The organization also gets a read on how he is progressing by playing games in the NHL.

Called up for looks is fine. But to be left up if not really up to the job, which was the case in his first two stints, I don't think would be very useful.

 

[StreetHawk]

Called up for looks is fine. But to be left up if not really up to the job, which was the case in his first two stints, I don't think would be very useful.

Short term call ups to get a feel for the speed of the nhl is fine. But if he’s not playing much or producing then it doesn’t do much to keep him around that long.

Make sure he learns to round out his game in the A. He’s not one who is going to out score his mistakes. He’s not a 50 goal guy in the nhl.

 

[Lenny Levino]

Anybody think he can add 7-8 lbs this off season without it affecting his play?
15 lbs in 2 years would be the goal

With anabolics he could.

 

[arttk]

I don't disagree. But that is a typical thing for young players. A need to get stronger/more physically fit to be able to compete at the highest level.

I understand letting a player develop in the minors and letting him cook. But if you have a 20 year old guy in his first year in NA who is performing at the level he has been...well the cooking in the minors is all but done.

Yeah I think the point of AHL is for prospects to get used to the pace, once they adapt they should move up, of course unless there is something glaring to work on.

 

[VanJack]

Is there any chance this is management showcasing Lekkerimaki before the TDL?

If the rumors of us looking to add a top of the lineup player are true I think we can realistically expect at least one of Lekkerimaki or Willander to be a part of any package we attempt to put together.

I think it's more likely that a deal for Boeser is getting close......and Lekkerimaki slots into the mix as a 'scoring winger', ready or not.

 

[Blue and Green]

I think it's more likely that a deal for Boeser is getting close......and Lekkerimaki slots into the mix as a 'scoring winger', ready or not.

This is a possibility. Could just be that he's due for another look to see if he can make the grade. There's been a a bit of progress in some of his areas that need improvement, and the team needs scoring which the likes of Bains and Karlsson can't provide.

I understand letting a player develop in the minors and letting him cook. But if you have a 20 year old guy in his first year in NA who is performing at the level he has been...well the cooking in the minors is all but done.

Scoring at the AHL level doesn't necessarily mean that a young player is truly ready for NHL action. Alex Holtz was drafted 7th overall and in his D+2 season, six months younger than Lekkerimaki is this season, he put up 26 goals and 25 assists in 52 AHL games. Today he is back in the AHL at age 23, his NHL future in question. @Bad Goalie chronicled Holtz's shortcomings during that D+2 season on the New Jersey sub-forum, and his comments didn't go over well with some of the NJ fans-- but his concerns were valid.

 

[Nucker101]

I actually am intrigued with the fit with him and Chytil.

Didn’t think he made sense with Miller/Boeser and Petey is broken

 

[VanJack]

This is a possibility. Could just be that he's due for another look to see if he can make the grade. There's been a a bit of progress in some of his areas that need improvement, and the team needs scoring which the likes of Bains and Karlsson can't provide.


Scoring at the AHL level doesn't necessarily mean that a young player is truly ready for NHL action. Alex Holtz was drafted 7th overall and in his D+2 season, six months younger than Lekkerimaki is this season, he put up 26 goals and 25 assists in 52 AHL games. Today he is back in the AHL at age 23, his NHL future in question. @Bad Goalie chronicled Holtz's shortcomings during that D+2 season on the New Jersey sub-forum, and his comments didn't go over well with some of the NJ fans-- but his concerns were valid.

I miss some of Bad Goalie's withering comments on the Utica Comets prospect group. It really was a dose of reality, and prevented Canuck fans from getting too carried away with the performance of some of their prospects in the AHL.

 

[arttk]

This is a possibility. Could just be that he's due for another look to see if he can make the grade. There's been a a bit of progress in some of his areas that need improvement, and the team needs scoring which the likes of Bains and Karlsson can't provide.


Scoring at the AHL level doesn't necessarily mean that a young player is truly ready for NHL action. Alex Holtz was drafted 7th overall and in his D+2 season, six months younger than Lekkerimaki is this season, he put up 26 goals and 25 assists in 52 AHL games. Today he is back in the AHL at age 23, his NHL future in question. @Bad Goalie chronicled Holtz's shortcomings during that D+2 season on the New Jersey sub-forum, and his comments didn't go over well with some of the NJ fans-- but his concerns were valid.

Don’t think anyone is arguing he’s ready. I think letting him come up from time to time to get a better sense what he needs to do is not a bad way to develop especially considering he is improving in the AHL level.
I think the last thing you want is to leave him in the AHL and get too comfortable with that level.

 

[tantalum]

This is a possibility. Could just be that he's due for another look to see if he can make the grade. There's been a a bit of progress in some of his areas that need improvement, and the team needs scoring which the likes of Bains and Karlsson can't provide.


Scoring at the AHL level doesn't necessarily mean that a young player is truly ready for NHL action. Alex Holtz was drafted 7th overall and in his D+2 season, six months younger than Lekkerimaki is this season, he put up 26 goals and 25 assists in 52 AHL games. Today he is back in the AHL at age 23, his NHL future in question. @Bad Goalie chronicled Holtz's shortcomings during that D+2 season on the New Jersey sub-forum, and his comments didn't go over well with some of the NJ fans-- but his concerns were valid.

I agree it doesn’t mean he will be successful at the NHL level. That’s not what my comment was meaning though. My comment was the cooking at the AHL level is coming to an end. It’s nearing time to see if he can start to make that big jump or if he can’t.

Personally I think his last call up went pretty well and he showed improvement in his game. I’m excited to see if he has made further strides.