The Vancouver Canucks’ head honchos held a press conference on Wednesday ahead of 2024 training camp in Penticton, BC.

Head coach Rick Tocchet was among those who spoke, touching on specific prospects who caught his eye at this year’s Young Stars Classic.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki, the 20-year-old Swedish forward, was the focal point of attention throughout the weekend. His offensive creativity was evident despite not recording any points, and he generated numerous opportunities to find the scoresheet.

Tocchet was impressed with Lekkerimäki’s energy and shooting abilities.

“He’s a buzzsaw, great shot and [I’ll] be anxious to see him play with some good players to see what he can do.”

Lekkerimäki, who had a brief stint in Abbotsford last season with a goal and an assist, is coming off a Rookie of the Year campaign with Örebro in the SHL, where he tallied 31 points across 46 games.

Another standout mentioned was defenceman Elias Pettersson, who, like Lekkerimäki, spent time in Abbotsford at the end of last season. The 20-year-old defender made an immediate impact in the Young Stars tournament, delivering an open-ice hit just 30 seconds into the first game.

He brought that physicality to each of his shifts throughout the weekend. Pettersson, most known for his mean demeanour, also found the back of the net during the event. Tocchet praised his performance, noting, “[I] really liked the way he played. Smart guy.”

Finally, 19-year-old Vilmer Alriksson was the third player Tocchet highlighted. The 6-foot-6, 234-pound winger stood out as one of the Canucks’ most consistent players throughout the tournament. Leading the team with three points, Alriksson displayed his power-forward game, using his large frame, strong hands, and overall physicality. Tocchet expressed his excitement about Alriksson’s growth, saying, “This guy really impressed me. Getting the puck off the wall, deep delay, body position, and makes a play; he did it three times [and] last year I didn’t see as much, so that makes you excited.”

For Lekkerimäki and Pettersson, the focus now shifts to making an impression during the Canucks’ main training camp, as both will be aiming for roster spots in Vancouver either immediately or in the near future. Alriksson, on the other hand, should be an early roster cut and will return to Guelph in the OHL to continue his development as one of the team’s top young prospects.

Tocchet expressed his hopes that a few of these prospects would get a shot in exhibition games. “Hopefully, maybe a couple of guys get in exhibition games. I’m looking for the stuff that we’re teaching them in development, and are they applying it? They did it in the games, but now they can do it in the big camp. That’s what we’re looking for.”

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