Lekkerimäki's brutal World Juniors has to be concerning for Canucks

Is the Vancouver Canucks’ latest first-round draft pick a bust already?

It’s probably too soon to make that bold of a proclamation, but it’s not looking good.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki hasn’t looked like a blue-chip prospect since the Canucks took him with the 15th overall draft pick last summer. The 18-year-old’s stat line with Djurgårdens of the Swedish second division is ugly, with just one goal and four assists in 25 games before suffering a concussion, which kept him out a month.

Playing against players closer to him in age at the World Juniors, it hasn’t gone much better.

Lekkerimäki was benched by Team Sweden’s head coach in both of their knockout round games. He played just 5:36 in the quarter-final and saw 4:24 of ice time in the semis, including only 29 seconds in the third period. He didn’t see the ice in overtime.

The 5-11 winger was chosen for his offensive skill, yet he scored just three points (1-2-3) while registering seven shots on goal in six games before Sweden was eliminated from gold medal contention.

Lekkerimäki records a shot on this SWE PP. His eyes are saying shot all the way but he had some pass options with CAN defenders all fixed on him. Would like to see more deception in his game in these situations. #Canucks

📹 @TSN_Sports pic.twitter.com/MFkclVNFzn

— Daniel Gee (@DanielGScouting) January 1, 2023

Two of his three points came in the opening game against the tournament’s worst team, Austria. He had the 6-0 goal and picked up an assist on the 9-0 goal during Sweden’s 11-0 rout of the Austrians.

Prospects experts who have watched him closely in Sweden and in this tournament haven’t been impressed with him.

Lekkerimäki apologists will point to the fact that he had mono last March as to why he didn’t have a great 2022 World Junior tournament last summer. They’ll also note that Lekkerimäki may just need time to adjust to playing pro hockey with his club team or that his recent concussion didn’t put him in a position to succeed as an 18-year-old playing in a U-20 tournament.

They’re excuses.

Canucks fans are probably getting Olli Juolevi flashbacks. He never improved after Vancouver chose him fifth overall in 2016, whether due to injuries or other reasons and is currently playing in the AHL.

Patrick White is another infamous Canucks first-round pick. He was picked 25th overall in 2007 and proceeded to score just 10 points (6-4-10) in 45 games in the first NCAA season after he was drafted. He never played an NHL game.

If you’re looking for a silver lining, perhaps it can be found in the fact that Noah Ostlund and Liam Ohgren, two Swedish forwards drafted shortly after Lekkerimäki, also haven’t had amazing tournaments. Ostlund, picked one spot behind Lekkerimäki by Buffalo, has no goals and three assists at the World Juniors for Sweden. Ohgren, picked four spots behind Lekkerimäki by Minnesota, has one goal and zero assists.

There are a few first-rounders picked after Lekkerimäki that have excelled at this tournament though. American Jimmy Snuggerud, who was chosen eight spots after Lekkerimäki by the St. Louis Blues, is third in tournament scoring, with 11 points in six games.

Filip Mesar was chosen by the Montreal Canadiens seven spots after Lekkerimäki and led Slovakia in scoring with seven points (3-4-7) in five games.

Joakim Kemell, chosen two spots after Lekkerimäki by the Nashville Predators, tied for the team lead in points (4) for Finland.

Filip Bystedt (27th overall by San Jose) is second in scoring on Team Sweden, with seven points in six games. Jiri Kulich (28th overall by Buffalo) is second in scoring for Czechia with six goals and two assists heading into the gold medal game.

There is still time for Lekkerimäki, and success at the World Juniors doesn’t always translate into success at the NHL level. But failure at this tournament? It’s a red flag.

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