It's worth noting that when Pettersson wracked up 24 goals and 32 assists he was playing for the Vaxjo Lakers, who finished that 2017-18 season at 34-10. It was one of the most dominant seasons in SHL history.
Lekkerimaki, on the other hand was playing last season for the lowly Orebro HC, who squeezed into the playoffs on the last day of the season, and were swept in the qualifying round. They weren't very good, and Lekkerimaki was virtually the only scoring threat they had. So I'm sure other teams tried to smother him every time he was on the ice. Even at that, he finished the season with 19 goals, not too far off Pettersson's 24.
It's hard to compare assist totals, because unlike Pettersson who's a center, Lekkerimaki is a right winger. And without a quality center to get him the puck, he had to generate most of his scoring chances on his own.
Finally in Pettersson's only appearance at the World Jr. Hockey championship in 2018, he finished with five goals and two assists. Although to be fair he only played five games after sustaining a broken thumb. But he really didn't come close to matching Lekkerimaki's dominant performance, that landed him the tournament MVP award in 2024..
As teenagers in the SHL, the gap between Pettersson and Lekkerimaki isn't as big as it might appear.
