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Lekkerimaki was learning how to play a more engaged game. Did wear and tear take a toll to where he now reportedly needs shoulder surgery?
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Published Feb 21, 2026 • Last updated 17 minutes ago • 2 minute read
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Utah Mammoth centre Nick Schmaltz is checked by Vancouver Canucks right winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki on Feb. 2 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photo by Melissa Majchrzak /APArticle content
You can’t teach what comes naturally to Jonathan Lekkerimaki.
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It’s the other side of the game the 21-year-old Swede is slowly learning, but it may have taken a toll and has reportedly led to the call for shoulder surgery that will shut down his roller coaster season.
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The Vancouver Canucks prospect, who has 13 goals in 21 games with the AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, was pushed to be more engaged at the NHL level in hopes of becoming a roster mainstay next season. He had just three points (2-1) in 13 games this campaign — and has nine points (5-4) in 37 career NHL games.
Canucks head coach Adam Foote figured Lekkerimaki being harder to play against might make goals easier to come by for the slight winger.
And maybe that’s why Lekkerimaki, who projects as an eventual top-six mix contributor, was a fourth-line winger Feb. 2 in Salt Lake City. After all, that alignment assignment is to forecheck hard, don’t get scored on, and don’t take penalties. He logged just 12:03, and 8:54 at even strength, didn’t have a shot, but had two blocks in a 6-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth.
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Jonathan Lekkerimäki has NHL calibre shot, but needs to bulk up to better engage in wall and slot play at top pro level. Photo by Derek Cain /Getty Images
“He’s learning to get into guys,” Foote said of the 15th-overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. “Whether it’s defensively when it’s his turn to go up the wall into defencemen pinching, or even on the power play on the half wall, there are times when you’ve got to get into guys quicker when they’re in that press and keep pucks alive. He’s going to get it. He’s a smart guy.
“It’s more the slot area. We want to use that shot and ability. We’ll teach him ways to be more comfortable against bigger guys. That will come.”
It’s that compete level to get into prime scoring areas and hold his ground that must improve. Lekkerimaki is waiver exempt, so he was going to see some games in Vancouver, but they should have always been merit based, rather than just a recall because of injuries. He’s still young but needs to starting moving the meter to become a complete player.
Lekkerimaki was also in need of a summer like none other to build muscle and strength to win those NHL battles. How long he’ll be sidelined before adding to his frame has yet to be determined. And, of course, any kind of shoulder procedure could affect Lekkerimaki’s shot and durability.
OVERTIME — Olympians Elias Pettersson, Filip Hronek, Teddy Blueger and David Kampf back on practice ice Saturday at UBC.
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