On today’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal were joined by prospect scout Dave Hall to discuss Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s first NHL game, Arturs Silovs’ return to the AHL, and defenceman Elias Pettersson’s strong start in the AHL.

Lekkerimäki was skating with J.T. Miller and Jake DeBrusk at practice, suggesting he’ll likely start with them in the game. Dave Hall weighed in on what to expect from the young forward:

“I love it,” Dave said. “Pettersson and Garland have finally found a rhythm together. Miller is the guy driving hard into the tough spots; Lekkerimäki has a knack for getting into those shooting areas himself—he’s so dynamic with how he moves. He’s a shoot-first, offensive guy. While he wants to make plays, his ultimate goal is to find the right spot to get that shot off. It’ll be interesting to see if he has the timing for it in his first NHL game, especially playing alongside these big dogs.”

Discussing Lekkerimäki’s readiness for the NHL, Dave praised his agility and deceptive movements as among his best tools.

“He’s so good at keeping defenders off balance,” Dave noted. “Whether it’s opening his hips, moving around constantly from end to end, or using subtle head fakes, he’s always doing something to throw off defenders. These small moves create openings for him to get around them or place his shot through traffic.”

Arturs Silovs, recently reassigned to Abbotsford after a rocky NHL start, won his first AHL game of the season on Sunday, stopping 23 of 25 shots in the Canucks’ 4-2 win over Bakersfield.

“He looked good,” Dave said. “He faced 25 shots, and it’s interesting because the AHL can actually be harder for goalies used to the NHL. In the AHL, the play is more sporadic—guys aren’t as precise, so the reads are tougher. It’s not as dynamic or polished as the NHL. Overall, I thought he looked fantastic, and I’d like to see him get a few more games to build confidence.”

Returning briefly to Lekkerimäki, Dave addressed his -8 plus-minus in Abbotsford, noting it’s not entirely on him.

“Obviously, minus-eight isn’t flattering, but the team as a whole is struggling a bit. While I don’t think it’s all on him, there have been times when he’s a little late on the backcheck or not fully effective in battling for the puck. The biggest challenge for him is physicality—he’s been out-muscled in board battles and open ice. His defensive positioning is fine, but handling physical play will be a challenge he needs to overcome.”

On fitting into Rick Tocchet’s system, Dave believes Lekkerimäki has the drive and work ethic to make a positive impression.

“Sprong didn’t have that extra bit of drive,” Dave commented, “but Lekkerimäki, despite sometimes getting out-muscled, is a bit of a ‘waterbug’ out there. He’s constantly moving, going below the goal line, trying to make plays. If he’s scoring goals, who cares if he gets tossed around a bit? He just needs to build some lower-body strength.”

Finally, Dave shared his thoughts on defenceman Elias Pettersson, or ‘D-Petey,’ who has had an impressive start in the AHL.

“It’s been absolutely flawless,” Dave said. “I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to say D-Petey has been their best defenceman all year. He’s the only guy with a positive plus-minus, which says something. He doesn’t make flashy plays; instead, he plays very sound, smart, shutdown hockey, which is exactly what we expected. Maybe ‘flawless’ is a stretch, but he’s been rock solid back there. His first pass is always good, he’s a strong skater, and he’s just a menace out there. For my money, he’s been the best defenceman in Abbotsford.”

You can watch the full segment below.