MAJOR | Latest Canucks' first-round pick is dominating the playoff with outstanding performances

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Felip Gosselin
April 23, 2023 (6:01 PM)

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The Canucks were called out for selecting yet another Swede winger when they chose Jonathan Lekkerimaki. The forward underperformed during the season, at the World Junior Championships, just before suffering an injury that brought him back days into their playoff season.

Lekkerimaki collecting 9 points through 29 games this season in the Hockey Allsvenkan division in Sweden, the Canucks' prospect has been lighting it up in the playoffs.

He's been proving his detractors wrong, even when the stakes are at their highest since he collected nothing less than 4 assists in their last game:

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His playoff performance now puts him at 13 points in 12 games which places him third in his team's scoring.

The fact that Lekkerimaki's playmaking has been on display is a great indication of the forward upward development, especially since he was recognized to be a sharpshooter just a year ago:

�' That shot may be the best of Lekkerimäki's offensive tools, but it's not the only one. He's also a reasonably deft handler, with the skill to blend pass receptions into dangles, deceptive maneuvering, and a sound mechanical base with the puck almost always handled in his hip pocket.''

- EliteProspect NHL DraftGuide 2022

Will the Canucks come through with his development and make an impactful NHL forward out of him?