Vancouver Canucks top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki had an assist in his AHL debut as the Abbotsford Canucks defeated the Colorado Eagles 2-1 in overtime.
Lekkerimaki’s assist came on a second-period goal from Max Sasson that tied the game at 1-1.
Lekkerimaki, 19, was a first-round pick (15th overall) by the Canucks in the 2022 NHL Draft.
He joined the Canucks’ AHL squad at the beginning of the week after his season with Orebro HK in Sweden’s top division came to an end. A right-wing, Lekkerimaki had 19 goals and 31 points in 46 games in Sweden this season.
Lekkerimaki is expected to remain in the AHL for a few weeks before returning to Sweden to compete for a spot on his home country’s roster for the upcoming world championship.
“I’m excited, it’s going to be really fun,” Lekkerimäki said earlier this week in an interview with the Canucks’ website. “It is my dream to play in the NHL and if I get a chance for that, I will do everything to prepare for that to be my future. That said, right now my focus is learning as much as I can from my time with the Abbotsford Canucks.”
