Sweden misplaced to the USA within the remaining on the 2024 World Juniors, however the Vancouver Canucks’ high prospect nonetheless took house a high honour.
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Jonathan Lekkerimaki and his Group Sweden teammates didn’t get fairly what they needed on Friday on the 2024 World Junior Championship, however it was nonetheless a giant day for the Vancouver Canucks’ high prospect.
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Sweden misplaced within the remaining on Friday to the USA 5-2. They needed gold. They obtained silver as an alternative.
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Nevertheless it wasn’t for a scarcity of effort, particularly by Lekkerimaki. The hard-shooting winger led the match in targets with seven, a lot of them clutch.
And for his sturdy play, he was named match MVP
Lekkerimaki is the primary Canucks prospect to win a match award since Mattias Öhlund was named the match’s greatest defenceman in 1996.
He even scored a aim in Friday’s remaining, scoring a power-play one-timer, which is one thing he’s made into a daily behavior. The best-handed shooter scored 5 of his targets on this match on the person benefit, most in related trend, hammering the puck off a cross whereas standing to the left of the opposing internet.
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“Not afraid to do issues on the ice,” Sweden’s Axel Sandin Pellikka instructed the Canadian Press about his teammate Lekkerimaki, chosen fifteenth general on the 2022 NHL draft. “Goes on the market and performs his recreation.
“Fearless.”
Elite Prospects’ J.D. Burke was positively glowing in his reward for Lekkerimaki.
“That is one of the best hockey I‘ve ever seen Jonathan Lekkerimäki play, and I feel that you must be thrilled together with his efficiency at this match should you‘re a Canucks fan. Not even essentially due to the dent he put within the scoresheet. Nothing new there. This was rather a lot like his draft yr efficiency on the U18s in that respect. It‘s what he‘s doing away from the puck that‘s modified,” Burke instructed Postmedia from Gothenberg, Sweden.
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“He‘s a much more bodily participant, and extra keen to go to the center of the ice than ever. And he deserves a ton of credit score for that. I‘m nonetheless not totally bought on his really feel for the sport, however I simply don‘t assume it issues at this level. It is a participant with an elite shot, nice fingers, and a newfound willingness to play by way of contact.
“That‘s a recipe for achievement on the NHL stage.”
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