Jonathan Lekkerimäki's season with the Vancouver Canucks is over: report
The Vancouver Canucks haven’t even returned to game action since the Olympic break, yet their forwards are dropping like flies.
Filip Chytil suffered a facial fracture earlier this week at practice, sidelining him yet again.
Now, the Canucks most talented young winger is apparently done for the season.
CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reported on Saturday that Jonathan Lekkerimäki will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.
He played just 13 games with the Canucks this season, posting two goals and three points.
His season really started with promise, beginning with his play during the preseason. Despite looking like a roster longshot, the 21-year-old made the most of the roster spot opened up after Nils Höglander’s injury. He scored three goals in four games and followed that up with a goal on opening night.
However, Lekkerimäki was one of three Canucks who were injured during that fateful Sunday matinee in Washington. His injury forced him out of hockey for almost a month before returning to AHL action.
Down in Abbotsford, the young Swede had been torching the AHL, with 13 goals and 20 points in 21 games this season.
Good lord, Lekkerimäki. He now leads the Abbotsford Canucks in goals (10). #Canucks pic.twitter.com/Vv2IFJngr5
— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) January 25, 2026
He leads all Abbotsford Canucks in goals scored, despite playing in just 21 of their 52 games.
Perhaps that’s a small slice of solace for the promising youngster, whose AHL production upticked from last year, when he had 19 goals and 28 points in 36 games.
Unfortunately for the Canucks and Lekkerimäki, he’s dealt with some lengthy absences since being drafted. That included a bout with mononucleosis and a foot injury in Sweden.
Since coming to North America, Lekkerimäki missed time after crashing head-first into the boards during an AHL game last season. He also had to have wisdom teeth removed after getting an infection.
For his shoulder injury, while nothing was confirmed, it could very well be the same thing that’s bugged him since being sidelined in Washington back in October. The Tullinge, Sweden native also missed a stretch around Christmas of about 2-3 weeks as well, with an undisclosed injury.
Dhaliwal reported on Saturday that Lekkerimäki has been dealing with this shoulder injury for a while.
Although it’s been nearly four years since the Canucks drafted Lekkerimäki, he was one of the youngest players taken in that draft. He won’t turn 22 until July.