The 2022 NHL Draft first rounder’s return to Abbotsford should a boost to AHL club’s power play
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A team-leading four goals on the man advantage have come from Lekkerimäki, 20, who was returned to Abbotsford by Vancouver last Thursday after a five-game stint with the big club. The 2022 NHL Draft first-round (No. 15) pick was at six goals and eight points in nine games with Abbotsford overall going into Tuesday night.
Abbotsford started the day at No. 8 on the penalty kill, thanks to their 85.5 per cent (10 goals against, 69 times short) success rate.
Going into the league action Tuesday, the Florida Panthers’ Charlotte Checkers farm team led the AHL on the power play (35.8 per cent, 24-of-67), while the Detroit Red Wings’ Grand Rapids Griffins (89.7 per cent, six goals against, 58 times short) were tops on the penalty kill.
With all that in mind, here’s our latest Canucks Top-10 prospects power rankings. Last week’s ranking is in parenthesis. Players must be born in 2000 or later to be considered, and they aren’t eligible when they’re playing with the big club. All stats are as of Tuesday morning.
1. Jonathan Lekkerimäki, RW, Abbotsford (NR)
2. Tom Willander, D, Boston University Terriers (1)
The 2023 first rounder (No. 11 overall) was held off the scoresheet in BU’s 6-3 win over Merrimack on Friday. The sophomore Willander (12-2-7-9) is sixth in team scoring. BU (6-5-1) is in Belfast, North Ireland this weekend with Merrimack, Harvard and Notre Dame for the Friendship Four tournament.
3. Danila Klimovich, RW, Abbotsford (3)
Klimovich (16-7-4-11) is Abbotsford’s leading scorer, adding to his total last week with a goal in the 7-1 win over Henderson on Friday. The 21-year-old, who was a 2021 second rounder, had 17 goals and 29 points in 67 games with Abbotsford two years ago, but slipped to two goals and four points in 24 games last season, missing action due to both injuries and healthy scratches.
4, Ellas Pettersson, D, Abbotsford (4)
Pettersson, 20, is second on Abbotsford in plus-minus (plus-5), trailing only forward John Stevens (plus-eight). Pettersson (17-0-5-5) had an assist in the Friday win. He was 2022 third rounder.
5. Kirill Kudryavtsev, D, Abbotsford (7)
The 2022 seventh rounder received some power play time in the Friday win and put up one goal and three points on the night, and had a season-best three shots. The 20-year-old Kudryavtsev (15-2-6-8) is Abbotsford’s top scoring defenceman.
6. Nils Åman, C, Abbotsford (NR)
Åman (8-0-8-8) had three assists Friday and then another Saturday. The 24-year-old, who was signed as free agent in June 2022, has been centring Abbotsford’s No. 1 line of late, playing between Lekkerimäki and Tristen Nielsen.
7. Cole McWard, D, Abbotsford (5)
The 23-year-old McWard (18-1-5-6), who signed as a free agent in April 2023, had an assist Friday and was a combined plus-3 with four shots in the two wins over Henderson.
8. Jett Woo, D, Abbotsford (6)
The 2018 second rounder had an assist Friday and put up five shots in the Henderson games. The 24-year-old Woo (18-1-5-6) leads Abbotsford defencemen in shots (40).
9. Vilmer Alriksson, LW, Guelph Storm (10)
The 2023 third rounder had a goal in Guelph’s 4-3 loss to North Bay on Thursday and in their 6-2 loss to Sudbury on Friday. The 19-year-old Alriksson (17-6-9-15) has nine points (3-6-9) in his last five games. Guelph (6-13-1-1) is at Niagara on Thursday, hosts Windsor on Friday and hosts Kitchener on Saturday.
10. Sawyer Mynio, D, Seattle Thunderbirds (8)
Mynio (upper body injury) was upgraded from week-to-week to day-to-day by the Thundebirds last week. The 2023 third rounder still sat out Seattle’s one game last week and hasn’t played since Nov. 8. Seattle did name the 19-year-old as team co-captain over the weekend. Mynio (15-4-13-17) is third in scoring for the Thunderbirds (7-13-2-1). Seattle hosts Wenatchee Wednesday and is at Victoria Friday and Saturday before playing a Sunday matinee at Vancouver.