Prospect Info: Jonathan Lekkerimaki - Orebro, SHL

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tyhee

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Feb 5, 2015
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He could always sign an ATO to get into a game or two with Abbotsford, but I think it’s more likely he practices with them, takes in some big club games and then heads back to Sweden to prepare for the WHC.
Amateur tryout contracts are for players who aren't already playing under a professional contract. Lekkerimaki's professional contract kicked in at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. It will slide, but he's already been playing pursuant to his elc, assigned to Orebro. As of today the Canucks have assigned him to Abbotsford.
 

arttk

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Feb 16, 2006
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Hopefully they actually let him play as opposed to EP2. I don't get the hesitancy of sitting your top prospects when the principal goal of a farm team is to foster and develop talent for the big club.
Too much goonery and not enough protection. Need to sign a bunch of enforcer for next season or else we end up with our top prospects injured for now non hockey related plays like Pod getting thrown down for no f***ing reason.
 
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Vector

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Feb 2, 2007
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He could always sign an ATO to get into a game or two with Abbotsford, but I think it’s more likely he practices with them, takes in some big club games and then heads back to Sweden to prepare for the WHC.

Unnecessary because of his age. His contract will slide. He can just jump right into the AHL, like D-Petey, with no need for an ATO.
 
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VanJack

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Jul 11, 2014
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It's sort of mystifying to me why some posters advocate molly-coddling our top prospects. Lekerimakki and D-Petey have both played professional hockey all year. What's the issue with letting them play some games in Abbotsford?

Heck, last year the Canucks force-fed McWard, Hirose, McDonough and even Silovs into actual NHL games-whether they were ready or not. Turns out they weren't.

But you can't substitute the experience of playing in NHL games, and knowing just how far you have to travel and how much off-season training you have to put in. So I suspect both Lekerimakki and D-Petey will benefit mightily from games on the smaller NA rink.

It's not as if these last 10 games mean much to Abbotsford. They're basically locked into their playoff position and probably need to rest some guys anyway.
 

arttk

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It's sort of mystifying to me why some posters advocate molly-coddling our top prospects. Lekerimakki and D-Petey have both played professional hockey all year. What's the issue with letting them play some games in Abbotsford?

Heck, last year the Canucks force-fed McWard, Hirose, McDonough and even Silovs into actual NHL games-whether they were ready or not. Turns out they weren't.

But you can't substitute the experience of playing in NHL games, and knowing just how far you have to travel and how much off-season training you have to put in. So I suspect both Lekerimakki and D-Petey will benefit mightily from games on the smaller NA rink.

It's not as if these last 10 games mean much to Abbotsford. They're basically locked into their playoff position and probably need to rest some guys anyway.
Not sure it’s coddling, it’s just accepting that maybe the development team knows better?

Seems like they are doing a decent job with that so far.

I think people are used to the idea that for the longest time, you get the prospects in X AHL games and then you can graduate them to the NHL so the earlier you get them through X games the faster they hit the NHL. It seems like this management group thinks otherwise. It’s super likely EP2 will spend the whole season in the A regardless of how he plays and who knows with Lekk. So with that in mind, does it matter if they get some games this season?
 

VanJack

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Jul 11, 2014
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I suppose there's a possibility that D-Petey and Lekerimakki can learn something just practicing in Abbotsford.

But after a full pro season in Sweden, and the intense competition of the World Jr. Hockey Championships, I'm not sure what that could possibly be. Maybe doing line drills on a smaller ice surface might be somewhat beneficial.

But these last 11 or so games in Abbotsford, mean very little in terms of playoff positioning. So there's virtually no pressure on them at all, if they actually play.

It's really not unlike the situation in Vancouver last spring. The team was out of it, so why not let some of your college UFA signings burn off a year of eligibility by playing in some NHL games?
 

theslatcher

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Jan 5, 2016
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Allvin:

Jonathan contacted us and wanted to come here. The idea is that he'll practice/train and possibly get into some games in Abbotsford, work with the Sedins and learn to know the org for next year. He'll get to practice here before the national team have their gathering.

H.Sedin:

We've talked with him during the game here tonight and he seems excited. We'll go to Abbotsford tomorrow for his first practice with our AHL team.
 

VanJack

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Just a suspicion on my part......but given how starved this team is for goals at times, once they get Lekerimakki into the lineup, they may never get him out.
 

canuckslover10

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Apr 10, 2014
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Let's say lekkermaki absolutely obliterates the AHL, should a call up make sense and get him on the team rather than sending him to the Worlds. Especially considering he would be a perfect fit on our powerplay.
 

alternate

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Jun 9, 2006
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Let's say lekkermaki absolutely obliterates the AHL, should a call up make sense and get him on the team rather than sending him to the Worlds. Especially considering he would be a perfect fit on our powerplay.

I don't expect he will be given the opportunity to obliterate the AHL. Maybe if he shows up to practice and is clearly the best player on the ice. Short of that, can't see him getting more than 1 or 2 games, which will be his 1st pro games in NA. Pretty unlikely he shows enough in that small a window to have the team completely revise their plans with him.
 
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