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Canucks select Jonathan Lekkerimäki with 15th overall pick

By Joshua Rey

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 07: Jonathan Lekkerimaki is drafted by the Vancouver Canucks during Round One of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 07: Jonathan Lekkerimaki is drafted by the Vancouver Canucks during Round One of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The Vancouver Canucks decided to stand pat with the 15th overall pick.

As a result, they took Swedish winger Jonathan Lekkerimäki.

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1545212580280631297

Lekkerimäki is a right-handed shot and is 5’11” and 172 pounds. He comes out of Djurgårdens IF in Sweden. This past season, Lekkerimäki split the season between the Djurgårdens IF under-20 team and the big club.

With the under-20 team, Lekkerimäki played 26 games and scored 20 goals and managed 15 assists for 35 points. With Djurgårdens IF first team, he also played 26 games and scored seven times and tallied two assists for nine points.

Lekkerimäki has been ranked as low as 18 by Elite Prospects and and as high as eight by Bob Mckenzie of TSN prior to the draft.

Lekkerimäki’s biggest strength? His shot.

Here is how Elite Prospects described him in their 2022 draft guide.

"“That shot may be the best of Lekkerimäki’s offensive tools, but it’s not the only one. He’s also a reasonably deft handler, with the skill to blend pass receptions into dangles, deceptive manoeuvring, and a sound mechanical base with the puck almost always handled in his hip pocket.”"

He also has good hands but skating is something he needs to work on.

https://twitter.com/DanielGScouting/status/1545212788670271488

Lekkerimäki also represented Sweden at the recent Under-18 World Hockey Championships. He led the tournament in scoring with five goals and 10 assists for 15 points in six games. With his efforts, Sweden went on to win the gold medal.

Apparently, one of Lekkerimäki’s favourite players is Elias Pettersson.

Less than a week ago, Lekkerimäki was drafted in the second round, 70th overall in the CHL Import Draft. Who was the team that drafted him? None other than the Vancouver Giants.

“Not much we can do but would welcome him with open arms and let Sedins on the ice with him when ever they want,” said Giants General Manager Barclay Parneta to CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal. “We would love to help him in his development.”

Lekkerimäki confirmed that he will return to Sweden next season.

https://twitter.com/ChrisFaber39/status/1545222397942456320

Next. Breaking down the Canucks 2022-23 schedule. dark

What do you think of the Canucks first round pick? Let us know in the comments below, in the Facebook comments or on Twitter.

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