Welcome back to another Vancouver Canucks 2024–25 Report Card. Today, we’ll be taking a look at how Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s season went as a member of both Vancouver and the Abbotsford Canucks. 

This was Lekkerimäki’s first full season with both Vancouver and Abbotsford. Prior to 2024–25, Lekkerimäki’s only experiences on North American ice were the six games he played with the AHL Canucks at the end of the 2023–24 season. His first AHL game of the 2024–25 season was Abbotsford’s home-opener on October 25, during which he tallied an assist and three shots on goal. In his first seven games with Abbotsford, he scored five goals and two assists while tallying a total of 39 shots. 

Lekkerimäki stayed in Abbotsford’s lineup until the start of November, as he was called up to Vancouver while the team dealt with injuries. He made his NHL debut on November 12 against the Calgary Flames, putting up two shots in 14:07 minutes played. The game after, against the New York Islanders on November 14, he scored his first NHL goal against Ilya Sorokin with a sweet shot off the rush. He stayed in the lineup for the following three games before being sent back down to Abbotsford. 

From mid-November to early January, Lekkerimäki continued playing with Abbotsford, putting up seven goals and three assists in 14 games. This included back-to-back three-point games on December 7 and 8. While he was still shooting at a high rate of around three shots per game, this wasn’t as close to the offence he’d produced at the start of the season. With injuries once again striking the Canucks, he was called up to Vancouver and placed in the lineup on January 6 against the Montréal Canadiens. In a high-scoring 5–4 overtime loss for Vancouver, Lekkerimäki had a goal and an assist in 13:47 minutes played. 

Lekkerimäki’s stint in Vancouver’s lineup ended after January 16 and didn’t continue until mid-March. During this time, he continued to build on his offensive successes in Abbotsford, contributing a goal and two assists in his first game back from Vancouver on January 19. He registered a four-game and three-game point streak that were only separated by one game in which he did not get a goal or an assist. 

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While Vancouver’s lineup was unsteady throughout the season, Lekkerimäki was able to find some consistency within it towards the end of 2024–25. With a crop of Abbotsford players playing for the Canucks from mid-March to the end of the season, there was enough familiarity in the dressing room for Lekkerimäki to become a little more comfortable with the NHL. By the end of Vancouver’s 2024–25 season, he had three goals and three assists in 24 games. With Abbotsford, he had 19 goals and nine assists in 36 games. 

In Abbotsford’s Calder Cup victory, Lekkerimäki was noticeable at a bunch of different points for many reasons. First, he missed three games due to complications from dental surgery early in Abbotsford’s playoff run. Then, he was healthy-scratched for four games, including the team’s Western Conference Championship win. Finally, in his second game back in the lineup during the Calder Cup Final, he potted two goals and also played excellently without the puck on his stick to help Abbotsford take a 3–1 series lead. While many may have expected more from him offensively during this playoff run, Lekkerimäki still showed up when the team needed him most. 

Two-Goal Game 4 Performance A Big Momentum Shifter For Abbotsford Canucks’ Jonathan LekkerimäkiFor a while, Vancouver Canucks and Abbotsford Canucks fans alike were intrigued. The AHL Canucks were rolling through the Calder Cup Playoffs with a lineup full of stellar players like Artūrs Šilovs and Linus Karlsson. Virtually everyone not-injured was accounted for — except for one player. 

The movement to-and-from lineups can be a bit difficult for a player who is still adjusting to a multitude of things. Positively speaking, Lekkerimäki was able to gain valuable NHL experience while honing his skills in the AHL — but this shifting can also be tough to work with when still trying to learn specific systems and skills. Because of this, Lekkerimäki gets a B- for his rookie season. Though many may have expected a little more from him at the NHL level, he’s still adjusting to AHL and NHL play. With that being said, fans may see an even more dangerous Lekkerimäki come the 2025–26 season. 

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Yesterday, we reported that Montreal Canadiens’ sniper Cole Caufield had made NHL.com’s top 10 under-25 forwards ranking, and today, it’s Jacob Fowler’s turn to make the Top 10 under-25 goaltenders ranking. We’ve been saying for years that the future was bright in Montreal, and it looks like, slowly but surely, the future is arriving.

Just like Caufield, Fowler is ranked fifth in the list behind Calder Trophy finalist and Calgary Flames netminder Dustin Wolf, Chicago Blackhawks’ Spencer Knight (who was drafted two spots before Caufield at the 2019 draft), San Jose Sharks’ Yaroslav Askarov, and Ottawa Senators’ Leevi Merilainen. Interestingly, Jakub Dobes, who’s under 25 as well and has better stats than a lot of goaltenders on the list, was ignored.

Fowler is one of only two goaltenders, alongside Trey Augustine, to make the list without having played a single game in the NHL. The latter hasn’t even signed his ELC with the Detroit Red Wings yet and will be heading back to the NCAA with Michigan State University for a fourth year, meaning the Wings will have to be patient and wait for their second-round pick at the 2023 draft to be done with school before he suits up for them.

Given Fowler’s non-existent NHL stats, his NCAA career, and his limited experience in the AHL sealed the deal. He finished his season with Boston College with a 25-7-2 record, a 1.63 goals-against average, and a .940 save percentage. The masked man also posted seven shutouts, up from three in his rookie year.

The youngster also showed a bit of a mean streak, hitting an opponent who got a bit too close to his liking with his blocker, which earned him an ejection and a one-game suspension.

Yeah, you can’t do that. Fowler was ejected pic.twitter.com/Yt68nT8dB1

— Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) November 16, 2024

After signing his contract, the 20-year-old appeared in three regular-season games with the Laval Rocket, going 2-1-0 with a 2.32 GAA and .914 SV. He also played eight games in the postseason, going 3-3 with a 2.48 GAA and a .902 save percentage. It will be interesting to see what he can do in his first full year of professional hockey, which he is highly likely to spend with the Rocket as the number one netminder.

The question now becomes how the Canadiens do in NHL.com’s top 10 under-25 defenseman ranking. I have a slight suspicion that a certain Lane Hutson will find his way there and that he’ll be higher than fifth. Could another one make it? I expect we’ll find out in the next few hours or days…

Photo credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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Signing Connor Zary should be near the top of Flames’ GM Craig Conroy’s to-do list.

The 23-year-old forward is a Restricted Free Agent (RFA), and while his numbers don’t scream ‘super star’ just yet— 13 goals, 14 assists, 27 points in 53 games last season—there’s no mistaking the upside.

Zary showed flashes of top-six potential before two fluke injuries derailed his year: first, a knee-on-knee collision in Anaheim and then an awkward fall after being hauled down against Dallas.

Still, when he’s healthy, Zary drives play and creates dynamic offence. A full season could see him push 25 goals and 50 points. His scoring touch showed in 2022–23 with the AHL’s Wranglers, where he played all 72 games and racked up 21 goals and 58 points.

He also has the potential to slide from wing to centre, which would give the Flames much needed stability down the middle. 

Zary can be streaky at times, but his game is still maturing. If he finds another level of consistency, he becomes a key piece in Calgary’s forward group.

The regular NHL season schedule is out, with Marner set to return to Toronto on January 23, 2026.

THN Hosts @Michael_Traikos, @katie_gaus , and @THNRyanKennedy debate Toronto's reception of Marner after being traded to Vegas, the latest NHL news, and more on the newest episode… pic.twitter.com/6WvVagG399

— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) July 17, 2025

Drafted 24th overall in 2020, Zary is coming off a three-year entry-level deal with a modest $863,334 cap hit.

The Flames are in a great spot to sign him at value. The production may not match the ceiling just yet—but it’s coming. Zary isn’t just part of the future—he’s shown he can make an impact now.

© Tim Fuller-Imagn Images

© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Earlier this month, the Stanley Cup was freshly engraved with the names of the latest NHL champions.

In case you forgot, that just happened to be the Florida Panthers, who claimed the Cup for the second straight season.

That means the new engravings were placed directly next to last year’s Panthers’ names, which is one of the cool things about winning back-to-back Cups.

Other than the side-by-side glory that will live on forever, there was another interesting element about the placement of the new engravings that caught some attention.

Before getting to that, let’s take a moment to appreciate the efforts of a certain Trade Deadline addition who played a massive role in Florida’s postseason success this year.

Brad Marchand, acquired at the deadline for a second-round pick that has since become a first-round pick, seemed to get better and better as the playoffs went by.

The plays he made and the goals he scored during the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers were something out of a storybook.

He’ll get a good chance to keep the magic going after signing a six-year extension to stay with the Panthers through the end of his Hall of Fame career.

Whether the 37-year-old and the Cats get another few cracks at the Stanley Cup remains to be seen, but seeing him step up during Florida’s playoff run was something Panthers fans will never forget.

Getting back to the Cup, here’s the interesting thing referenced earlier.

Directly above the 2024-25 Florida Panthers’ names that have been freshly engraved on the historic trophy are the 2010-11 Boston Bruins.

Photo caption: The Stanley Cup made an appearance at the Flanigans in Hallandale Beach on Wednesday. (Photo source: @miamiguydylan on X) 

That means anytime a Panthers fan checks out the Cats’ names on the Stanley Cup, they won’t have to look far to find Marchand’s name from when he won the Cup with Boston.

Of course, that also means that when Bruins fans seek out their latest Stanley Cup win, and only since the early 70s, they might also catch a glimpse of Marchand’s name under the Panthers banner.

We’ll get an idea of how the longtime Bruins star will be received back in Boston when the Panthers visit TD Garden on Oct. 21.

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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)