Vancouver – Conor Garland phones his dad, Garry, back home in Boston, nearly every day. And on their call before Friday’s game, the Vancouver Canucks winger was raving to his pops about this kid on the team, Jonathan Lekkerimaki.
“I told my dad on the phone, I can’t believe the jump Lekkerimaki has taken,” Garland explained. “It’s confidence. The shot’s the shot; that’s his gift. You know, everybody has a gift. But I think the rest of his game has come a long way.
“I’m not an evaluator, but I just feel like he’s a lot more confident. three days ago in practice, five-on-five drill in the zone, he just had the puck and was moving with it. Maybe last year. . . he was not being as decisive. I think he can notice it. he’s going to be a big-time player for us. It’s huge that he’s taken a great step for us.”
Imagine what tomorrow’s phone call will be like.In the Canucks’ final pre-season game,in Lekkerimaki’s final audition as the 21-year-old tries to make the roster for the start of the National Hockey league season,the Swedish winger blistered a pair of one-timer past Edmonton Oilers’ goalie Calvin Pickard as Vancouver rallied to win 3-2 in overtime at Rogers Arena.
Garland scored the beautiful winner, cutting past Leon Draisaitl and underneath Connor McDavid to tuck the puck around Pickard, capping 90 seconds of Canuck posession at three-on-three.
Though Vancouver coaches and management decide to configure their roster to be NHL-compliant on Monday, likely stashing some players in the minors as they do not require waivers, it truly seems impractical that Lekkerimaki won’t be part of the opening-night group when the Calgary Flames visit the Canucks next Thursday.
On a team that started training camp with the objective of finding ways to be more offensive,Lekkerimaki’s two slappers on Friday in the full dress rehearsal are indicative of the offensive weapon they are developing in the 2022 first-round pick who scored 19 times in 36 games in the American Hockey league last season.
“Oh, he can rip it,” Canuck Jake DeBrusk said, then compared Lekkerimaki’s shot to former Boston teammate David Pastrnak’s. “He reminds me of
bruins Prepare for Regular Season After Promising Preseason Performance
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The Boston Bruins are entering the 2023-2024 NHL regular season with a renewed sense of confidence after a strong preseason showing.Forward Jake DeBrusk highlighted the team’s ability to stick to their game plan and the positive results stemming from their training camp focus. The Bruins will begin their regular season campaign on Thursday, and the team has released their lineup for Friday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Preseason Takeaways
DeBrusk emphasized the importance of the preseason in refining the team’s approach. “It’s just what it is,” he stated,acknowledging the inherent nature of preseason games. However, he underscored the value of the team’s resilience and adherence to their established strategies.”But as a team in hear, the way we came back (tonight) and just the way we kind of stuck to our game was why we have training camp. That was what our focuses were. So, we’re listening and we were seeing results.” This suggests a positive and focused environment heading into the competitive regular season.
Friday’s Lineup vs. Canucks
The Bruins have announced the following lineup for their Friday matchup against the Vancouver Canucks:
Forwards:
* Jake DeBrusk – Elias Pettersson – Brock Boeser
* Linus Cylinders
* Evgenii Dadonov – Bo Horvat – Pius Suter
* Patrick Kane – Morgan Geekie – Dakota Lekkerimaki
* John Beecher – Blueger – Sherwood
Defensemen:
* Quinn Hughes – Jacob Hronek
* Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie mcavoy
* Mason Lohrei – Willander
This lineup indicates the coaching staff’s intentions for player combinations and roles as the season begins.
Key Takeaways
* Positive Preseason: The Bruins are entering the regular season with confidence after a triumphant preseason.
* Focus on Fundamentals: Training camp emphasized sticking to the team’s game plan, which is already showing positive results.
* Defined Lineup: The announced lineup provides clarity on player positioning and expected contributions.
The Bruins will look to build on their preseason momentum as they embark on their 2023-2024 regular season journey. With a focused approach and a clear lineup, the team aims to establish itself as a strong contender in the NHL.