The Abbotsford Canucks are one win away from the Calder Cup title. Vancouver Canucks fans will be quick to tell you not to celebrate until the job is done (just ask the 2011 Canucks after winning Game 5 about that). However, their American Hockey League (AHL) team is on the doorstep of bringing the first title to the franchise, and with three chances to earn one win, the Cup is so close they can almost touch it.
Game 4 was the Jonathan Lekkerimaki show, as he scored two goals in the 3-2 win. His first goal came under two minutes into the game and set the tone as the Charlotte Checkers were out of their comfort zone and chasing the game after that. He then netted the game-winning goal in the third period to give the Canucks a 3-0 lead which was enough for the victory despite a late push by the Checkers.
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It was a breakout game for Lekkerimaki in an otherwise uneventful playoff run for him. He entered the game with only one goal in the playoffs, and despite showing flashes and putting together great shifts, he wasn’t a factor in the team’s success. Game 4 was a reminder of why the 20-year-old forward is a top prospect in the Canucks system.
Lekkerimaki’s Skills Stand Out
Lekkerimaki has a great shot and can fire the puck past most goaltenders in the AHL. “The AHL” is a key part of this since goaltending is better in the NHL and will stop a lot of the shots he’s taking, but it’s still something that grabs the attention of the NHL team. His shot helped him score 19 goals in 36 games during the regular season and made him a reliable offensive forward.
Then there’s the speed, which allows Lekkerimaki to find scoring chances on the rush and skate past the defense. It’s how he scored both his goals against the Checkers in Game 4. He saw an opportunity to skate through the neutral zone and to the slot and it allowed the Canucks to find him open on centering passes.
Lekkerimaki isn’t a physical presence. Considering how the Florida Panthers dominated the competition in their Stanley Cup run with physicality and size playing a big role, his absence of it might set him back at the next level. However, Lekkerimaki’s speed allows him to backcheck and step up defensively, making him a two-way forward for the AHL team who is used in all situations.
Lekkerimaki’s Role at the NHL Level
He future NHL role will be on the right wing and ideally on the top six. Lekkerimaki struggled at the NHL level this season, with only three goals and three assists in 24 games, but he played a minimal role. If he remains on the bottom six without a playmaking center, he won’t do much.
However, if Lekkerimaki develops into a top-six forward, something he’s starting to do with his strong play this season, he’s the ideal right winger to pair with a top-six center. At 20 years old, he’s still developing, and he won’t be a regular at the NHL level at least by the start of next season. When he rounds out his game, he can potentially be the type of winger who works well alongside Elias Pettersson, another Swedish forward in the organization (it’s been a while since the Canucks had two Swedish forwards leading their forward unit).
The Canucks are likely losing Brock Boeser in the offseason. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent, and the signs point to him both testing out the market and asking for a long-term contract with a high average annual value. If the right wing scorer leaves, the Canucks have a possible replacement.
Abbotsford Canucks’ Run is More Than The Prospects
Lekkerimaki is coming off a remarkable performance. Likewise, goaltender Artus Silovs is playing his best hockey in the playoffs with five shutouts in the Canucks run and 150 saves on 159 shots in the Calder Cup Final. The NHL hopefuls typically garner more attention in the AHL and the Canucks young players stole the show in the playoffs.
They aren’t the reason the Canucks are one win away from the Calder Cup. The whole team is playing well, with Arshdeep Bains and Linus Karlsson contributing 17 goals and 26 assists in the run to the strong penalty kill that’s operating at a 88.6% kill rate. This team also plays physical hockey to fend off the Checkers pressure and toughness, while they also speed games up to overwhelm their opposition. It’s why the Canucks are one win away from the Calder Cup and can hoist the trophy in front of their home crowd on Saturday night.
