Tocchet says Lekkerimäki will get more minutes for Vancouver Canucks going forward
The Vancouver Canucks are asking Jonathan Lekkerimäki to step up with their season on the line. Last night, he delivered hugely.
The team’s forward group has been decimated by injuries during the most crucial part of the season. Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander left the current road trip to be evaluated back in Vancouver. This has created a massive opportunity for Lekkerimäki, one he seems to be taking advantage of based on his most recent performance.
The rookie scored one goal before adding the shootout winner in a big 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. The Canucks need all the wins they can get, and escaping that game with two points, where they trailed with less than a minute left in regulation, is huge.
Lekkerimäki’s shootout winner was particularly impressive. He displayed a ton of confidence, twirling his stick before the attempt, and showed off his signature deadly release. He beat ex-Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom cleanly, and the netminder was clearly not pleased with himself, smashing his stick on the goalpost after the puck went in.
JONATHAN LEKKERIMÄKI. ICE COLD. 🧊 pic.twitter.com/a5nLcndj8J
— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) March 25, 2025
“[I’ve] got to try and find some more minutes for him,” said head coach Rick Tocchet. “Two beautiful shots for us…obviously the shootout was great, but the other one was a goal scorer’s goal. To me, that was the impressive one.”
Tocchet revealed after the game that goalie coach Marko Torenius had the idea to use Lekkerimäki in the shootout, and it paid off.
The 20-year-old sniper is showing encouraging signs of progress and has two points in his last three games. The advanced stats also paint a pretty picture, as he’s fourth among Canucks forwards in Corsi.
This is Lekkerimäki’s first season in North America, and he’s made the transition look relatively easy. While his five points in 19 NHL games don’t jump off the page, he’s been noticeable with the puck and has excelled at the AHL level, scoring 19 goals and 28 points in 32 contests.
If Lekkerimäki can continue to progress like this, he’ll be a huge asset for the Canucks as he’s still on his rookie contract for two more years after this one.
With less than a month left in the season, this will be a great opportunity for Lekkerimäki to play NHL games that actually matter. All the Canucks games from now on will have a playoff-like intensity, and the opportunity to test himself against the tighter checking and more physical play should pay dividends for the sniper’s development.