For a while, Vancouver Canucks and Abbotsford Canucks fans alike were intrigued. The AHL Canucks were rolling through the Calder Cup Playoffs with a lineup full of stellar players like Artūrs Šilovs and Linus Karlsson. Virtually everyone not-injured was accounted for — except for one player. 

At the start of this week, star prospect Jonathan Lekkerimäki had yet to dress for a Calder Cup Finals game. His last match had been on June 2, when Abbotsford suffered a big 5–2 loss to the Texas Stars in the Western Conference Finals. After this, Lekkerimäki disappeared from the lineup. 

At the time, Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra described Lekkerimäki’s absence as a roster decision. But, after two straight Calder Cup Finals games of being outshot and outplayed by the Charlotte Checkers, Lekkerimäki finally came back in. The forward’s return came at a welcome time in which Abbotsford struggled to generate quality offence. 

Lekkerimäki slotted back into the lineup beside fellow AHL rookie Ty Mueller and veteran Phil Di Giuseppe — two players who have excelled both offensively and defensively this postseason. Despite not registering any points during his first game back, there was a noticeable difference in how Lekkerimäki approached the game in his Calder Cup Finals debut compared to beforehand. However, it was in Game 4 when he really shined by making moves all over the ice. 

“He did his thing out there,” Abbotsford captain Chase Wouters said of Lekkerimäki’s effort in Game 4. “Two big goals, and he really gets us going on that side. He’s obviously a really special talent. He’s always great to have out there.” 

Lekkerimäki scored the opening goal of Game 4, doing so just over a minute into the first period. He combined his efforts with Mueller, diving into Charlotte’s zone on a 2-on-1 and finding an empty corner of Kaapo Kähkönen’s net to tuck the puck in. His second goal of the game ultimately stood as the game-winner, which was something he earned after cutting up the middle of the ice on a partial break. 

As well as being a factor on the scoresheet, Lekkerimäki was also noticeable in other parts of the game. He finished the night with four shots, leading the team in this stat during this game. Defensively speaking, he didn’t shy away from hounding opposing players and finishing his checks when needed. Ice time can be a hot commodity for young players in a new league, but on Thursday, Lekkerimäki made the most of what he was given. 

“To me that sums up Lekky,” Malhotra said of the AHL rookie’s Game 4 effort. “The kid has ice in his veins. He doesn’t shy away from these big moments. And you could see tonight he had two quality looks. And then he made them count, so that that kind of sums up the type of player that he is. When given the opportunity and put in the right spot, he’ll make good.” 

“Just play it simple. Try to get into the games and just do what I can do,” Lekkerimäki said after Game 4 regarding what he has done to find success during the postseason. 

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With the two-goal effort on Thursday, Lekkerimäki is now up to three goals and four assists in 14 playoff games, putting him at a respectable 0.5 points per game pace that ties him with linemates Di Giuseppe and Mueller for sixth on the team. Despite missing some time, Lekkerimäki’s point production has still been pretty steady, especially for a player taking part in his first full AHL season. 

“I talked a lot to Hank and Danny [Sedin] and [Mikael] Samuelsson, so yeah, they’ve been on my side,” the young forward added in terms of how he has been able to make an impact after sitting for a few games. “They’ve been in the same situation so yeah, listen and learn from them.” 

“I think you learn a lot when you are on the outside, and you see what happens out there and how fast it is and the pace. It’s physical, right? It’s a tough hockey game. It’s the finals, and he did a good job stepping in,” Arshdeep Bains, Abbotsford’s other goal-scorer in Game 4, said of Lekkerimäki’s performance. “He’s so creative and smart, and he’s got a shot like no other. So it’s nice to see that he can play and make things happen.” 

Thanks to Lekkerimäki and the rest of the team’s efforts, Abbotsford is now one win away from securing their first Calder Cup in franchise history. While the Checkers tried to mount a comeback late in Thursday’s game, at the end of the day, it was the Canucks prospect who made the difference on the ice.   

“It’s good to see. I think he’s had a tough time, but he came in and he played a great game for us,” Bains added “We needed him, and honestly, without him, he probably wouldn’t have dug that out.” 

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