Canucks News and Rumours: Karlsson’s Chance & Lekkerimäki’s Shot

Karlsson reportedly pushed the pace during line rushes and looked comfortable when things got physical during the battle drills. That’s probably exactly what he needs to show right now. He doesn’t have to come into camp and take over completely. He just needs to keep making it difficult for the coaching staff to take him out of the conversation.

The timing is pretty good for Karlsson, too. With the Canucks looking for players who can contribute throughout their lineup, an NHL job could be there for someone who makes a strong enough impression. It sounds like Karlsson, who was such a pleasant surprise last season, is doing his part so far.

He’ll likely get a chance to play with Pettersson and DeBrusk in a preseason game soon, and that will tell us a lot more. Practice chemistry is one thing. Doing it when another team is trying to knock you off the puck is another.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s Shot Is Already NHL-Ready

Then there was Lekkerimäki, who was coming back from successful surgery. He provided one of those moments that gets everyone at training camp talking. During a rush drill, the young Swedish forward took a pass on the right wing and quickly fired the puck bar down past goaltender Aleksei Medvedev.

It happened so quickly that the goalie had little time to react. Lekkerimäki didn’t need much time or space, and that is exactly what makes his shot such an intriguing weapon. Nobody should be handing him a top-six spot after one goal in a training-camp drill, of course. But the Canucks already know he has an NHL-level shot. The next step is showing that he can consistently find opportunities to use it when the competition gets tougher.

That’s going to be one of the biggest things to watch once the preseason begins. Lekkerimäki has the skill. Now Vancouver needs to see how that skill translates into actual games.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

The Canucks don’t have much time to ease into things. After only two days of camp, a group of players will head out to Seattle to play the Kraken for Saturday’s preseason opener. That’s a pretty quick turnaround, especially with Vancouver’s exhibition schedule packed into just one week.

For players like Karlsson and Lekkerimäki, that’s probably a good thing. They have already had a couple of days to make their case in practice, and now they get an opportunity to show what they can do against another team.

The preseason will move fast, and the Canucks will have to make their roster decisions quickly. For now, Karlsson is giving the coaching staff something to consider, while Lekkerimäki is reminding everyone that his shot could become a key part of his game in Vancouver.