Browsing: LekkerimÃki

VANCOUVER — Conor Garland phones his dad, Garry, back home in Boston, nearly every day. And on their call before Fridayâ€s game, the Vancouver Canucks winger was raving to his pops about this kid on the team, Jonathan Lekkerimaki,.

“I told my dad on the phone, I can’t believe the jump Lekkerimaki has taken,†Garland explained. “Itâ€s confidence. The shotâ€s the shot; that’s his gift. You know, everybody has a gift. But I think the rest of his game has come a long way.

“I’m not an evaluator, but I just feel like he’s a lot more confident. Three days ago in practice, five-on-five drill in the zone, he just had the puck and was moving with it. Maybe last year. . . he was not being as decisive. I think he can notice it. Heâ€s going to be a big-time player for us. It’s huge that he’s taken a great step for us.â€

Imagine what tomorrowâ€s phone call will be like.

In the Canucks†final pre-season game, in Lekkerimakiâ€s final audition as the 21-year-old tries to make the roster for the start of the National Hockey League season, the Swedish winger blistered a pair of one-timer past Edmonton Oilers†goalie Calvin Pickard as Vancouver rallied to win 3-2 in overtime at Rogers Arena.

Garland scored the beautiful winner, cutting past Leon Draisaitl and underneath Connor McDavid to tuck the puck around Pickard, capping 90 seconds of Canuck possession at three-on-three.

However Vancouver coaches and management decide to configure their roster to be NHL-compliant on Monday, likely stashing some players in the minors because they do not require waivers, it seems impossible that Lekkerimaki wonâ€t be part of the opening-night group when the Calgary Flames visit the Canucks next Thursday.

On a team that started training camp with the objective of finding ways to be more offensive, Lekkerimakiâ€s two slappers on Friday in the full dress rehearsal are indicative of the offensive weapon they are developing in the 2022 first-round pick who scored 19 times in 36 games in the American Hockey League last season.

“Oh, he can rip it,†Canuck Jake DeBrusk said, then compared Lekkerimakiâ€s shot to former Boston teammate David Pastrnakâ€s. “He reminds me of Pasta in some ways. Just his release, right? Pastaâ€s got a little more flare at the end, but the way it comes off his stick. . . you guys saw it tonight.â€

Pickard saw them, but couldnâ€t keep the pucks out of his net as Lekkerimaki zipped one high glove to open scoring with 9.3 seconds remaining in the first period, then overpowered the goalie stick-side on a power play to make it 2-2 at 5:58 of the third.

Another player everybody saw was Braeden Cootes, Vancouver’s 2025 first-rounder who has stubbornly refused to play his way off the team and in his first NHL training camp seems poised to be the first 18-year-old to make the Canucks since Petr Nedved did it in 1990.

Cootes shielded the puck and slid it Lekkerimaki on the opening goal. The prospects were partnered with veteran ex-Oiler Evander Kane.

Canucks head coach Adam Foote and his staff deliberately did not try to “hide†their kids on Friday, and Lekkerimaki and Cootes were hanging on a couple of shifts against McDavid and Draisaitl. But the prospects both finished with 65 per cent expected-goals-for at five-on-five.

The auditioners on defence, a prospects pairing of Elias Pettersson (Junior) and Tom Willander, had a harder time territorially and surrendered a goal to Oiler Kasperi Kapanen on a four-on-two rush in the second period. But they havenâ€t looked overwhelmed since training camp began, although it feels like prospect Victor Mancini, who did not dress Friday, finished ahead of them in the blue-line battle.

None of the three are subject to waivers, so could be designated for the AHL on Monday if hockey-ops wants to protect extra forwards on the NHL roster. But all three of Mancini, Pettersson and Willander will play for the Canucks this season.

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The team finished Footeâ€s first pre-season as head coach at 4-2 and, clearly, built momentum as the players incorporated the coaching staffâ€s instructions to play faster and more aggressively.

“I think it looks really sharp,†Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko said after stopping 25 of 27 Oiler shots. “You can tell guys are on the same page. And that’s a credit to our staff, credit to the guys that have been putting in a lot of  work. The continuity of the team out there seems really strong.

“Obviously, a good team over there (with Edmonton) — a couple of good players. I thought we played with confidence. We played our game. We didn’t kind of sit around and wait to see what they were going to do, so itâ€s really encouraging.â€

The positive vibes emanating from the Canuck dressing room are in stark contrast to the dark mood that accompanied the tumult of last season.

“From a team standpoint — and I know anything I say, it’s going to be directed back to last year — we are a tight, tight group,†Garland said. “We feel like we’re having a lot of fun every day. You guys can see in practice, like, it’s energetic, it looks sharp. A lot of fun during the games. I feel like we’re playing really fast, kind of doing everything weâ€ve talked about with Footy. But again, Thursday night, everything kind of changes.â€

“You take it for what it is,†DeBrusk said. “But as a team in here, the way we came back (tonight) and just the way we kind of stuck to our game was why we have training camp. That was what our focuses were. So, we’re listening and we were seeing results.â€

Starting Thursday, the results count.

FRIDAYâ€S CANUCKS LINEUP

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Boeser
Bains-Chytil-Garland
Kane-Cootes-Lekkerimaki
Oâ€Connor-Blueger-Sherwood

Hughes-Hronek
M. Pettersson-Myers
Pettersson (Junior)-Willander

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In the last preseason game of the 2025-26 season, the Edmonton Oilers headed to Vancouver with a mostly full lineup to take on the Vancouver Canucks. Stuart Skinner was out due to illness, Jake Walman still wasn’t ready, and Mattias Janmark was injured, out another week. Of course, there was still no Zach Hyman. Meanwhile, the Canucks also ice most of their starters, so this was as close to a real game as preseason would offer.

The question for the Canucks would be if they could contain the top line of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Trent Frederic, who combined for seven points in the previous preseason game between these two teams.

The Canucks allowed Draisaitl to get one on the power play, but they did a much better job limiting the top line’s chances. The Oilers went up 2-1, but the Canucks scored two, including an overtime winner from Conor Garland to give the Canucks the 3-2 win.

EDM lineup vs. VAN:

Draisaitl – McDavid – Frederic

Podkolzin – RNH – Mangiapane

Henrique – Philp – Savoie

Howard – Tomasek – Kapanen

Ekholm – Bouchard

Nurse – Stecher

Kulak – Emberson

Pickard

Tomkins

Oilers’ Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Goalies

Oilers’ Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Forwards

Oilers’ Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Defense

First Period:

The opening period was fairly evenly played, with Vancouver holding a slight edge in shots. It was the last shot of the period that was the best of the first 20 minutes, and it gave Vancouver a lead going into the intermission.

The Canucks generated the more dangerous looks.

The Oilers earned the first power play when Kiefer Sherwood was called for tripping. David Tomasek took the net-front role and nearly converted on a slick feed from McDavid, but Thatcher Demko turned him aside. Edmontonâ€s second unit struggled to sustain momentum, with Ike Howard fanning on a pass that stalled the sequence.

Out of the box, Sherwood nearly created a chance the other way, but Calvin Pickard came out aggressively to deny him.

At 17:48, Kasperi Kapanen was whistled for interference, sending Vancouver to its first man advantage. Former Oiler Evander Kane forced Pickard into a solid save, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins generated a shorthanded look. But with 9.3 seconds left in the frame, Jonathan Lekkerimäki wired a high shot over Pickardâ€s glove to break the deadlock. Braeden Cootes picked up the assist, giving the Canucks a 1–0 lead.

Second Period:

Leon Draisaitl opened the second period with a substantial shift, showcasing his puck protection skills. He felt he should have drawn a penalty when he was taken down, but he didnâ€t get the call. The first whistle didnâ€t come until 3:12, and through the opening five minutes, neither side generated much offense as the play remained scrambly.

Edmonton finally pushed back with some extended zone time, highlighted by a pair of chances, the best by Andrew Mangiapane. Vancouver managed to survive the pressure. Another four minutes ticked away before the next stoppage, during which Teddy Blueger forced Calvin Pickard into a solid save.

The Canucks began to build momentum, but it was quickly halted when David Tomasek sprung Kasperi Kapanen on the rush. Kapanen hammered a one-timer past Demko and shifted play back in Edmontonâ€s favor.

Moments later, pressure from Noah Philp, Matthew Savoie, and Adam Henrique drew a holding penalty, sending the Oilers to the power play. Edmonton wasted little time converting—Evan Bouchardâ€s point shot produced a rebound that landed on Draisaitlâ€s stick, which he buried to give the Oilers a 2–1 lead.

Third Period:

Defenseman Elias Pettersson didnâ€t return to start the third period after taking a shot to the chin from teammate Vasily Podkolzin, but he rejoined the play around the 2:30 mark, indicating he was fine to continue.

The Oilers opened the frame with an early chance from Andrew Mangiapane, who couldnâ€t quite pull the puck from his backhand to forehand in tight on Thatcher Demko. Vancouver responded with a strong shift around the three-minute mark, hemming Edmonton in, before the Oilers pushed back with a few dangerous looks—again led by Mangiapane.

Mattias Ekholm took the first penalty of the period, and the Canucks made him pay. Jonathan Lekkerimäki blasted home his second goal of the night, wiring a one-timer past Calvin Pickard to make it 2–2.

The game opened up at the midway point, with chances at both ends. Edmonton ran into penalty trouble soon after, as Mangiapane was called for roughing and Leon Draisaitl for removing Petterssonâ€s helmet, putting the Oilers down two men. Evander Kane then tripped Ty Emberson, leading to a brief 4-on-3 situation after a Canucks timeout. Remarkably, the Oilers killed off all three penalties.

As time wound down, several Edmonton rushes were broken up before they could develop. Connor McDavid tried to generate speed through the neutral zone a few times but was denied each time by the Vancouver defense.

In the final minute, the Oilers loaded up their top line in search of the winner, but couldnâ€t break through. Regulation ended with the teams deadlocked at 2–2, sending the game to overtime.

Overtime:

The Canucks controlled play for the first 90 seconds of overtime, pulling the puck in and out of the zone. Conor Garland eventually danced around a tired trio of McDavid, Draisaitl, and Bouchard. He potted it past Pickard, and the Canucks took the win.

There were some bright spots for the Oilers, including Tomasek, who got plenty of opportunity to be a difference-maker. There was some solid hustle from Mangiapane and noticeable speed from Savoie.

Edmonton will now finalize its roster cuts and prepare for the opening game of the season on Wednesday, October 8.

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