We are back with our 2025 mid-season edition of our CanucksArmy top 20 Canucks prospect rankings.

Now is probably a good time to set another reminder to review our rankings’ criteria (Honorable Mentions). It’s crucial to know because these rankings are missing some names that may be in other ranks. Ultimately, that bumps every player up a few spots.

If you are curious about our ranking criteria, check them out in our Honourable Mentions installment.

Number 1 is…

Team: Abbotsford Canucks | Age: 20 | Position: Right Wing | Height: 5’11 | Weight: 172 lbs | Shoots: Right | Drafted: First round, 15 overall, 2022 | Last year’s rank: 1

How about that ride in?

The journey has been fulfilled, and we’ve officially hit our top-ranked Vancouver Canucks prospects.

And it’s not very suspenseful.

Lekkerimäki has held the top spot on our CanucksArmy rankings for some time now. And with his exceptional scoring touch and top-six potential, it doesn’t take long to see why.

After a challenging draft-plus-one season marked by injuries and setbacks, Lekkerimäki shot out of a cannon with his rebound last, reaffirming his status as one of the premier goalscorers in the prospect realm. Just ask Craig Button, who has him ranked 11th among his top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects list.

This resurgence paved the way for his highly anticipated arrival in North America, where he’s currently working through his rookie season, split between the American and National League, respectively.

Health-wise, it hasn’t been the most consistent stint. He kicked off his season with an injury, missing Abbotsford’s first handful of games, and has missed periodic stretches throughout the season.

As a result, he’s only dressed in 29 of Abbotsford’s 50 games. Of course, he sprinkled in an 11-game NHL stint along the way.

But back in the American League, he’s made those 29 AHL games count. In nearly half the games, he’s currently leading the Abbotsford Canucks with 17 goals and shares the fifth most points with 25.

Those 17 goals put him third among all AHL rookies, trailing Coachella Valley’s Jani Nyman by five. That’s five fewer goals while suiting up in 20 fewer games, we might add. In terms of goal-per-game, he’s well above the pack, firing at nearly a 60 percent (.59%) clip.

His production shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. After all, he’s a shooter by trade, and that trait has oozed throughout his entire season. With 106 shots, he not only sits second on the Canucks – 17 behind Danila Klimovich – but sits sixth most among the rookie field and is dominating with a 3.66% shot-per-game average.

Shooters shoot, as they say.

What’s truly distinguished Lekkerimäki from past seasons is the diversity with which he’s scoring his goals. Historically, he’s been labelled as a perimeter player, relying heavily on long-range wall shots from the outside. We began to see glimpses of him gaining the inside last year, but it wasn’t an everyday occurrence.

This season, however, he has demonstrated a bit of an expanded repertoire. He’s been scoring from various areas of the ice, including net-front deflections and tap-ins, and, of course, he continues to sprinkle in his signature release. While he’s still a slighter build, he’s willing to go to the dirty areas and has demonstrated a high-end work rate.

But who are we kidding? At the end of the day, it’s his incredible release that sets him apart from the pack. He can whip it on a dime, releasing it as quickly as it lands on his stick.

When your team needs a goal, there’s no one you want with the puck on his stick more than Jonathan Lekkerimäki. And it doesn’t matter where he is on the ice.

We were even blessed with that release at the NHL level, where he scored his first and only goal during his 11-game stay in Vancouver.

While he’s still slight, and his work along the boards will be a constant work-in-progress, you can’t knock the effort he shows on a nightly basis.

Ceiling: Lekkerimäki’s ceiling is that of a top-six NHL forward capable of scoring 30-plus goals. His elite shot, improved versatility, and killer scoring instincts make him a dynamic offensive threat, and he has the potential to become a key power-play contributor and a reliable scoring option in all situations.

Floor: Lekkerimäki’s floor is a middle-six NHL forward with a strong offensive skillset. Even if he doesn’t fully reach his scoring potential, his shot and offensive instincts will make him a valuable asset.

ETA: Lekkerimäki has already seen the NHL ice surface, and his continued development and adaptation to the North American pace and physicality will determine his long-term role. Since he’s likely to bounce back-and-fourth in the current season, he could become a regular NHL player as soon as next season.