Jonathan Lekkerimaki Faces a Defining Season in Canucks’ Plans
Jonathan Lekkerimaki’s next step with the Vancouver Canucks may depend on a question his scoring record can’t answer by itself: can his offense hold up against NHL pace and physical pressure? The 22-year-old has produced at every development stop, but injuries and a brief, quiet NHL audition have left his long-term role unresolved. With a roster opening on the wing and a new coach who knows his game, 2026-27 could offer a clearer read.
A scoring record with one notable gap
Vancouver selected Lekkerimaki 15th overall in 2022, taking the winger from Djurgårdens IF of Sweden’s SHL. Since then, he’s given the organization reasons to believe in his shot. In 2023-24, while on loan to Örebro HK, he scored 19 goals and 31 points in 46 SHL games. After moving to North America the following season, he put up 19 goals and 28 points in 36 games with the AHL Canucks, who went on to win the Calder Cup.
His scoring pace remained strong in 2025-26: 13 goals and 20 points in 21 AHL games. The NHL results were more modest, with three points in 13 appearances for a struggling Vancouver team. That short sample doesn’t settle the question of what Lekkerimaki can become, but it does highlight the gap he has to close. His offensive production has traveled with him through the SHL and AHL; so far, it hasn’t carried over to the NHL.
That distinction matters for a 5-foot-11 winger whose clearest calling card is offense. Lekkerimaki doesn’t need to abandon that strength, but he will need to create enough value in other parts of his game to stay in the lineup while he adjusts. If he can’t score consistently at the NHL level, his route to a regular role gets narrow.
There’s also a practical factor in Vancouver’s favor: Lekkerimaki has another season of waiver exemption. The Canucks can assign him to Abbotsford for further development without exposing him to a claim from another club. That gives the team room to weigh his readiness against the need for steady minutes.
Questions about size, strength and timing
The concern isn’t only what Lekkerimaki produced in his first NHL games. Thomas Drance of The Athletic recently argued that the winger needs to add core strength, saying he is “not big enough or fast enough to hold up against NHL competition” yet. Drance also reported that Lekkerimaki’s offseason was partly taken up with recovery from the shoulder injury that ended his 2025-26 season. That could limit his ability to address those physical issues before training camp.
Drance’s assessment doesn’t rule out a roster spot, but it does raise a question about timing. If Lekkerimaki arrives at camp still rebuilding strength, Vancouver may have to decide whether NHL minutes would help him adapt or whether another stretch in the AHL would serve him better. His shoulder recovery and physical development will shape that call alongside his performance.
A real opening, with experienced competition
The Canucks don’t have an abundance of high-end forward talent, which gives Lekkerimaki a plausible path onto the roster. A wing spot could open alongside Filip Chytil and Drew O’Connor on a third line. But the opportunity won’t belong to him by default. Paul Cotter and Max Sasson, both 26, offer more experience, while Trey Fix-Wolansky arrives with a strong AHL scoring profile of his own.
Filip Chytil and Drew O’Connor are potential linemates in that scenario. Lekkerimaki would also be competing with Paul Cotter, Max Sasson, and Trey Fix-Wolansky for a place in the lineup. A strong camp could put him in the mix; a slower start could send him to Abbotsford with a chance to work on the elements that Drance identified.
New head coach Manny Malhotra adds another variable. Vancouver dismissed Adam Foote and hired Malhotra, who previously coached in Abbotsford and saw Lekkerimaki during his most productive stretch in North America. Familiarity could help the coach judge what the winger does well and where he needs support. It doesn’t guarantee a roster spot, though. If Lekkerimaki can’t earn a role in camp or through an early-season recall, the Canucks will have to consider what that says about his place in their plans.
Scouting opinions remain divided
Public evaluations of Lekkerimaki’s future range from top-six optimism to skepticism about whether his style will work in the NHL. Stephen Ellis of Daily Faceoff ranked him second among Vancouver’s prospects, writing that he still has “plenty of high-end potential to go around.” Scott Wheeler of The Athletic was even more bullish last season, ranking him first in the system and calling his “talent” undeniable. Wheeler saw a possible top-six forward and a finisher for the first power-play unit.
Other reports focus on what hasn’t translated. Elite Prospects scout Kareem Elshafey observed that Lekkerimaki’s “game hasn’t translated” to the NHL so far. Corey Pronman of The Athletic ranked him 13th among Canucks prospects in his recent pipeline rankings, a much less favorable view than Wheeler’s.
Pronman described Lekkerimaki as “a very talented but highly frustrating player,” praising his high-end shot while questioning his skating, size, willingness to go to the net front, and work rate. His central concern is whether Lekkerimaki’s skill is strong enough to compensate for those limitations at the highest level. The disagreement captures the decision Vancouver faces: the shot and scoring history are persuasive, but NHL teams need more than a prospect’s best-case projection.
The season that should sharpen the picture
The 2022 draft class has already produced established stars, including first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky, third pick Logan Cooley, fifth pick Cutter Gauthier, and 62nd pick Lane Hutson. Their progress doesn’t set a deadline for every other player in the class, particularly those still in their early twenties. But after four drafts, patience increasingly comes with a demand for visible progress.
Lekkerimaki has already shown that he can score in Sweden and the AHL. His next challenge is to make that offense useful in Vancouver while showing enough strength, pace and effort to stay in the lineup. The Canucks have a roster opening, a coach familiar with his work, and a safe path to send him back to Abbotsford if needed. Those factors create opportunity, but the 2026-27 season will likely reveal whether his scoring can support a lasting NHL role.
Photos Courtesy of Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
