logo
CanucksArmy has no direct affiliation to the Vancouver Canucks, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
Canucks Prospect Showcase Notebook: Thoughts on Alriksson, Medvedev, Lekkerimäki, Willander, and more
Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Elias Pettersson during the Vancouver Canucks' 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets at the 2024 Young Stars Classic from Penticton, BC.
Photo credit: © Tav Morisson-CanucksArmy
Dave Hall
Sep 14, 2025, 13:55 EDTUpdated: Sep 14, 2025, 15:09 EDT
Comments
Game 1 of the inaugural Prospect Showcase between the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken is in the books.
The night had a bit of everything. From early nerves and physicality to highlight goals, and then an unfortunate third-period collapse by the Vancouver Canucks.
Despite the late unravelling, several players stood out — for better or worse — and we’ve got thoughts.
We’ll be providing ongoing notes throughout the weekend, followed by a skater-by-skater wrap-up after Game 2.
But for now, here are five key takeaways from Game 1.

The good

Vilmer Alriksson always sets the tone
Vilmer Alriksson made a name for himself at last year’s Young Stars tournament, where he co-led the event in scoring. He followed that up with a spirited performance in his pre-season debut for Vancouver, where he dropped the gloves and held his own in a memorable tilt.
On Saturday night — once again against Seattle — the towering Swede picked up right where he left off. Alriksson was Vancouver’s most noticeable skater, starting his night with a big hit on his first shift and continuing to throw his weight around throughout the evening.
In the second period, he broke the deadlock with a beautiful goal, cutting through the middle, while using his 6-foot-6 reach to protect the puck before pulling it to his forehand and tucking it home.
From there, he remained engaged on the forecheck, added more physicality, and continued to inject energy into the Canucks’ game. He was in the middle of several scrums, initiated contact, and stood out from the pack — though admittedly, that’s not hard to do at his size.
Now 20, Alriksson is vying for a full-time role in Abbotsford. With Manny Malhotra behind the bench this weekend, it’s the perfect opportunity for him to impress his hopeful bench boss on a shift-by-shift basis.
While his spot isn’t guaranteed, given the Canucks’ use of Kalamazoo for depth development, Alriksson is doing everything in his power to stay on the radar.
Given his profile, he has a chance to become a very effective player if it can all translate to the pro ranks.
Aleksei Medvedev deserved a better fate
Don’t let the four goals against fool you — Aleksei Medvedev had a solid outing in his first game wearing Canucks colours.
Time and again, he bailed out his defence with sprawling, desperation saves, including a point-blank 2-on-0 in the second period after a brutal defensive breakdown.
His crease management, lateral quickness, and calm demeanour stood out — especially for an 18-year-old just days removed from his birthday.
Even when the puck did get past him, it typically wasn’t for a lack of effort. Here’s a breakdown of the goals allowed:
Goal 1: Made a spectacular blocker save on Jani Nyman, only for Jagger Firkus to bury the rebound on the team’s third attempt.
Goal 2: A well-placed and perfectly executed high-slot deflection that may be one he’d like back, but it’s also a high-difficulty read.
Goal 3: Berkly Catton, Seattle’s best player, burned Tom Willander on the outside before sliding a cheeky backhand through Medvedev’s five-hole. That’s just an elite individual play.
Goal 4: Another defensive collapse left a Kraken forward alone in front with time to make a move. Medvedev stayed square and patient, but was ultimately outwaited for the game-winning goal.
In total, Medvedev likely faced north of 30 shots and was in the mix for first-star consideration if the result had gone Vancouver’s way. He showed composure, athleticism, and the ability to battle through traffic.
With a big year ahead in London, this was a strong first impression for the Canucks’ newest goaltending prospect.
We like him. We like him a lot.

The fine

Jonathan Lekkerimäki was fine, but left you wanting more
Jonathan Lekkerimäki finished his AHL rookie season with 19 goals and is widely considered one of the Canucks’ top prospects. So it’s fair to expect more than “fine” — even in a low-stakes setting like this.
His performance wasn’t bad by any stretch. He created a Grade-A scoring chance off a 2-on-1 in the third, and a delicate neutral zone pass set up Alriksson’s opening goal.
But as a potential NHL option this fall, Lekkerimäki should be leading this group offensively, not blending in. He showed flashes, but didn’t dominate.
That said, we were encouraged by the other areas. He was engaged, tossing his body around occasionally, hunting pucks, and making subtle but smart stick lifts in the neutral zone.
On a micro level, there was a lot to like. But on a macro level, the impact didn’t quite match the pedigree.
Gabriel Chiarot continues to intrigue
Nobody’s sounding the “sixth round gem” alarm just yet, but Gabriel Chiarot continues to quietly intrigue.
The 2024–25 season saw him make a notable jump in production, with 21 goals (from five in 2023-24) for the Brampton Steelheads, which included seven in his final eight regular-season games.
He followed that this fall with a red-hot OHL pre-season, co-leading the league in scoring before arriving at Canucks camp.
On Saturday, he added to his résumé with a heavy snapshot from the top of the circles that gave Vancouver a 2–0 lead.
His blend of hard work and emerging offensive touch makes him an interesting late-round project. Some project him to receive top-line minutes in Brampton this season, and let’s just say that he’s got our attention as someone to keep close tabs on this season.
It was a good effort from him.

The bad

Willander’s rough night
For better or for worse, the Prospect Showcase is no place to come up with radical conclusions.
After all, it’s just one game.
But Tom Willander is a high-pedigree prospect in the mix for NHL duty this fall, and that comes with loftier expectations among the group.
Unfortunately, Willander looked off.
He misread several defensive coverages that led to Grade-A chances against and eventually a goal. He struggled with puck decisions and, by the third period, had lost his spot on the top power play unit.
To his credit, he looked solid on the penalty kill, using his instincts and skating to pressure effectively.
But overall, it wasn’t a banner performance by the smooth-skating defender.
Does it really matter? Of course not. None of this does. It’s mid-September prospect hockey after all.
But given his status and hopes to carve out a high role immediately, he will need to be much better and lead the blueline in Game 2, assuming he’s in the lineup.

Quick Notes

Braeden Cootes looked steady in his debut but did not return for the third period due to what Manny Malhotra called a “precautionary” reason. He will be re-evaluated ahead of Game 2.
Elias Pettersson (D) threw his weight around and was active all night. While he had some puck-handling miscues, his physicality stood out in every corner scrum. It was a textbook night for D-Petey.
Nick Poisson, one of the older amateur invites, was surprisingly effective — scoring a goal and getting involved around the net consistently.

What’s Next

Game 2 of the showcase takes place Sunday, September 14 at 4:00 p.m. PT at the Kraken Community Iceplex in Seattle.
We’ll have full thoughts on Game 2, along with individual breakdowns for each Canuck skater, following the conclusion of the event.

Editorials

Breaking News