Tonight is sure to be a night that Jonathan Lekkerimäki will never forget, as the 20-year-old Vancouver Canucks rookie will make his NHL debut.
Lekkerimäki, who has been skating on a line with J.T. Miller and Pius Suter at practice, will play tonight against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena, Rick Tocchet confirmed.
A 15th overall draft choice in 2022, Lekkerimäki scored 31 points (19-12-31) in 46 games with Örebro HK in the Swedish Hockey League last season. The native of Tullinge, Sweden, has had a hot start to his first AHL season, scoring five goals and seven points in seven games with the Abbotsford Canucks before getting called up.
Lekkerimäki isn’t afraid to shoot the puck, putting an average of 5.6 shots on net so far this season. That helps explain the advice Tocchet gave to the youngster ahead of his first NHL game: shoot the puck.
“The only advice I gave him, we had a two-on-one drill, and he was trying to pass, and I said, ‘Just shoot it, man. You’re the shooter. Guys aren’t going to be mad if you shoot the puck,’” Tocchet told reporters after practice today. “That’s the only advice I gave him yesterday, is be a shooter tonight.”
Tocchet added that he doesn’t want to overload Lekkerimäki with “systems stuff.” He wants him to be comfortable in his new surroundings and show off his offensive skills.
“I don’t like to throw too much at him. We have some systems stuff we want to give him, but I’m not going to sit him down the next couple days and overload him. I think there’s one or two points. Let him enjoy the day, let him practice with the players.”
“I don’t want him to think too much. Go to the spots that he thinks he should be… I want to see him with the puck. I want to see him make some really creative plays. Obviously smart plays too. I think that’s what you’re looking for, the balance.”
“The only advice I gave him is be a shooter tonight.”
🗣 Head Coach Rick Tocchet speaks on Jonathan Lekkerimäki making his NHL debut against the Flames.#Canucks | @theprovince pic.twitter.com/ZRAPQjkFqM
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 12, 2024
Despite getting pulled last game, Kevin Lankinen will start again for the Canucks. Arturs Silovs, who won his AHL start in Abbotsford on the weekend, has been called back up. So has Arshdeep Bains, who will play in place of Dakota Joshua, who had been skating on the fourth line in recent practices.
The Canucks will once again be without Brock Boeser, who suffered a suspected concussion two games ago in Los Angeles. Tocchet didn’t have much of an update on his status today.
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