Building Blue: ‘Vancouver has been like a new home for me’: Jonathan Lekkerimäki is Excited for Second Season in North America

Following a season where he won a Calder Cup, played in 24 NHL games, and learned to live on his own, Jonathan Lekkerimäki is excited about creating a successful sequel in his second season of pro hockey in North America.

The young sniper from Sweden turned 21 this summer and is now in Vancouver to prepare for another year of Canucks hockey. The 15th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft has undergone significant life changes in the past year and feels like he has matured a lot in the past 12 months.

With the help of his girlfriend, who he credits with being a fantastic cook, Lekkerimäki enjoyed living in his own apartment during his time in Vancouver and Abbotsford.

“Vancouver has been like a new home for me. And it’s been warmer there than it is in Sweden right now,” he said with a laugh.

He also gave credit to development coach Mikael Samuelsson for giving him advice on and off the ice, as Samuelsson came over to North America at an early age and played primarily in the AHL during his first pro season away from home.

His rookie season in North America peaked when the Abbotsford Canucks climbed the mountain and won the Calder Cup.

“That group was special. I mean, we didn’t lose two games in a row since February, I think. So, yeah, that’s pretty good. It was nice to win the Calder Cup, and we had some good dinners with the team after,” said Lekkerimäki.

“It was special in Abbotsford, just a great atmosphere, the fans were really good. Playing some meaningful games is always fun. So, I tried to learn from that. It was a really good experience to play in those tight games and those series.”

Lekkerimäki is feeling more confident as he heads into his second year with the Canucks. Last year was his first rodeo in North America, but he’s looking forward to getting back on the horse for the 2025-26 season.

“I feel better about everything in my game,” he said. “It’s my second year now, it’s not my first training camp, and I know how it goes and how the practices are and how you play pro and all that. I have more confidence this year. It was really good to have had the year that I had. So yeah, I’m very excited for this next year.”

The offseason has been a good one for Lekkerimäki, who played in more games this season than in any other year of his young hockey career.

“I was staying in Stockholm for the most part, enjoying the sun and the Swedish food,” said Lekkerimäki. “I spent some time with my family, friends, just Swedish things.”

His summer training has been at another level than in previous years. He’s homed in on getting bigger and stronger while working with a small group in Stockholm. His main goal was to get bigger, stronger, and faster, and he believes he has accomplished that.

“I try to eat everything I can. I think it’s been really good,” said Lekkerimäki.

Lekkerimäki has worked closely with the Canucks’ development team on improving his play in the dirty areas and credits Samuelsson, Manny Malhotra, and the Sedins for sharing their experience and expertise.

“You have to be smart, too. You can’t just be strong,” said Lekkerimäki on what he has learned about playing in the dirty areas. “You have to figure it out, how to think ahead of the defenders and all that. But I’m feeling good, I’ve been working a lot during the season and the offseason. Hopefully, I can keep getting better on the boards.”

Looking back at the 2024-25 season, Lekkerimäki spoke about his NHL experience and what that meant to his family.

“It was a dream and very special to score my first NHL goal in front of my parents. That was a great moment and a great memory for me and my family. It was just a good year overall, playing some NHL games and playing some meaningful games in the AHL. So, yeah, pretty good, it was cool.”

He later joked that his parents were getting a bit nervous from all the TV time they were getting.

After a season where he played more games than ever before, the 21-year-old is looking to build on his gains and success last season. He scored 19 goals in 36 regular-season AHL games, in addition to scoring three goals in 24 NHL games.

He learned how tough playoff hockey is with the Abbotsford Canucks and came up clutch in game four of the Calder Cup Finals, scoring two goals, including the game-winner in a 3-2 victory to give Abbotsford a 3-1 lead in the series.

There’s still plenty of room for improvement in Lekkerimäki’s game, but he feels a good summer of training and family time in Sweden has him ready to hit the ground running as he returns to Vancouver, a place that feels like a second home.