Jonathan Lekkerimäki Missing from Abbotsford Canucks’ Lineup in Last Four Playoff Games
Despite high expectations, Jonathan Lekkerimäki has been notably absent from the Abbotsford Canucks’ playoff roster, sitting out the past four games as a healthy scratch—including Friday’s Calder Cup Final opener.
Just a few weeks ago, many anticipated that the Vancouver Canucks’ top prospect would be a key contributor in Abbotsford’s deep postseason run. The AHL affiliate has reached the championship round, beginning their best-of-seven series against the Charlotte Checkers with a thrilling 4-3 double-overtime win on Friday in Charlotte, N.C.
Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, also in Charlotte, with the series heading to Abbotsford for Game 3 on Tuesday.
So far, Lekkerimäki’s involvement has been minimal. The 20-year-old Swedish winger, Vancouver’s 15th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, was scratched for a fourth consecutive game Friday. He’s played in 12 of Abbotsford’s 19 playoff games and has posted one goal and five points.
While the team’s strong performance makes it hard to critique decisions, Lekkerimäki’s absence stands out. This is the furthest a Vancouver affiliate has advanced since the Utica Comets’ 2015 Calder Cup Finals appearance.
Still, it’s striking that Lekkerimäki—arguably the organization’s most talented young player—is on the sidelines during the most crucial stretch of the season. Known for his goal-scoring ability, he could be an important piece in Vancouver’s future offensive plans, especially with the likelihood of Brock Boeser departing in free agency this summer.
Lekkerimäki tallied 19 goals in just 36 regular season games with Abbotsford and averaged 3.4 shots per game. In the playoffs, however, his shot output has dropped to just 1.4 per game. He also appeared in 24 games with Vancouver this season, scoring three goals and showing flashes of his potential.
Vancouver’s struggles during the regular season are well known, and with the team eager to improve—particularly before Quinn Hughes’ contract expires in 2027—trading is on the table. However, dealing Lekkerimäki now seems unwise given his upside. He was named MVP at the 2024 World Juniors and is still adapting to North American hockey in his first full season. At 5’11” and 172 pounds, he needs time to build strength and refine his game.
Vancouver’s recent moves suggest they have trade assets on the blue line, which may help them address other roster needs without sacrificing a promising forward like Lekkerimäki.
The situation raises questions about how Lekkerimäki will respond to this phase in his development, and how the Canucks plan to support and utilize him going forward. This is especially relevant considering Elias Pettersson’s recent dip in form and the public scrutiny surrounding his long-term commitment after signing an eight-year extension in March 2024.
There’s still a chance Lekkerimäki could rejoin the lineup in this series. Charlotte plays with notable speed and intensity—something Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra acknowledged after Game 1, praising the Checkers’ relentless pace. Given the Canucks have played six more playoff games than Charlotte due to earlier rounds, fresh legs like Lekkerimäki’s might become necessary.
Lekkerimäki finished third in team scoring during the regular season, behind Danila Klimovich (25 goals in 65 games) and Linus Karlsson (23 goals in 32 games). His seven power-play goals were second only to Klimovich’s eight. For context, Klimovich is a 2021 second-round pick, and Karlsson—a 2018 third-round pick originally by the Sharks—joined the Canucks via the 2019 Jonathan Dahlen trade.
