The 2024 Young Stars Classic just wrapped up in Penticton and the next event on the docket is Vancouver Canucks training camp. This year, invited prospects won’t have to travel far as it’s set to take place in the same arena, the South Okanagan Events Centre. Several of the Canucks’ top prospects stood out in the annual showcase as they helped their team to a perfect 3-0 record, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 2-0, Winnipeg Jets 4-2 and the Calgary Flames 4-3, with the latter two being comeback victories after trailing 2-0 in the early going.
Related: Can Jonathan Lekkerimäki Break Into the Canucks’ Top-6 This Season?
So, with the stage set, let’s get into the first Canucks Prospects Report of the season and discuss some of the standouts from this year’s edition of the Young Stars Classic.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki
Jonathan Lekkerimaki was one of the most dynamic players of the tournament, even though he couldn’t find the back of the net. He showcased all the tools that made him a 15th-overall pick in 2022, using his speed, soft hands, and most of all, NHL-caliber shot to wow the fans in attendance. While it was only a prospect showcase against lesser competition, he was impressive and appeared ready to take on the NHL.
Expectations should be tempered, of course, but considering how Lekkerimaki performed in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season and how much bigger, stronger, and faster he looks now, he could be poised to battle for a spot alongside his countryman Elias Pettersson in training camp. Manny Malhotra, the newly-minted coach of the Abbotsford Canucks, was impressed by his future top-line winger (at least that’s where he’s anticipated to start right now), too, saying, “He definitely fit right in…He did not look his age (20) one bit and some of his touches were elite and he got out of some sticky situations and created quality looks” (from ‘Canucks: What did we really learn from the annual Young Stars tournament?,’ The Province, 9/16/24).
Lekkerimaki was at his most dangerous in the first two games against the Oilers and Jets where he played on what could be Abbotsford’s top line to start the season. He was alongside Aatu Raty and Arshdeep Bains, and the trio was lethal almost every time they were on the ice. Lekkerimaki had several high-danger chances, showing off his speed and hands, particularly on a highlight reel play against the Jets where he danced around a Jets defender and got a quick shot off.
All eyes will be on Lekkerimaki during training camp and the preseason as fans will get to see him against NHL competition for the first time. If he performs well, he might start the season with the team.
Max Sasson
While not of the same blue-chip status as Lekkerimaki, Max Sasson has turned into an intriguing part of the Canucks prospect pool. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023 out of Western Michigan University and nearly replicated his stat line from his senior year in his first season of pro hockey. His 18 goals and 42 points were fifth on the team behind Raty, Sheldon Dries, Bains and Linus Karlsson, as he flashed a strong two-way game that could be capable of heading up a bottom-six line in the future.
Sasson finished his second Young Stars Classic with a goal and two assists and was one of the Canucks’ best players in all three games. His strength on the forecheck was evident throughout the tournament, and he flashed some playmaking abilities as well, setting up Lekkerimaki for a few scoring chances in the final game against the Flames.
Vilmer Alriksson
Vilmer Alriksson’s stock has been rising ever since he started his first season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Guelph Storm. Selected 107th overall in the 2023 Draft, the 6-foot-6 Swedish winger had an impressive debut in North America scoring 17 goals and 33 points in 67 games, and is now one of the Canucks’ top prospects. He solidified that status in his second Young Stars Classic, finishing with two goals and three points, including a highlight reel backhander in tight against the Jets. He was also a physical presence, throwing some reverse hits that fans in Vancouver have become accustomed to from Pettersson. Except at 6-foot-6, 214 pounds, those hits pack an even bigger punch, looking more like a traditional open-ice hit.
Backhand beauty from Vilmer Alriksson 🤌 pic.twitter.com/QmCbxSQLmH
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 15, 2024
It will be interesting to see how Alriksson plays in the preseason against NHL competition rather than other prospects. His speed, size, and hands were on display in Penticton, now we will see if some of that translates to the next level. He is definitely still a project, but last season and this second Young Stars tournament have kept the excitement high for his future with the organization.
Other Standouts
- Elias Pettersson, or “D-Petey” as he’s often referred to now, was one of the Canucks’ best defencemen over the weekend. After a grueling offseason where he worked on his speed, quickness, shooting, puck skills, and physicality, he looks ready to take on the AHL full-time. He will play big minutes on Abbotsford’s blue line this season and could be one of the first call-ups when injuries strike.
- Kirill Kudryavtsev, who was paired with Pettersson at times throughout the tournament, was also impressive after coming off another solid season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Guelph Storm. As a seventh-round pick in 2022, he has progressed a ton since being drafted and was described as one of the top shutdown defenders in the OHL last season. He could be turning pro as soon as this season, which means the Pettersson/Kudryavtsev pairing might be coming to Abbotsford Centre in a few short weeks.
- The Bains and Raty duo was dynamite in almost every game. Bains was his usual high-energy self and even scored a highlight-reel goal when he batted the puck out of midair after Raty drove the net. As for Raty, he showed some improved skating, and created quite a few chances for his linemates. Both of them have a good chance of making the roster out of camp with the reported injuries to Dakota Joshua and Teddy Blueger.
Preseason Is Almost Here
Lekkerimaki, Sasson, Alriksson, and most of the Canucks prospects from the Young Stars tournament will now move to training camp with the big club. While all of them won’t see preseason games, they will get to practice with NHL players and soak in the experience. Training camp gets started today (Sept. 19) and the first preseason game is set for Tuesday (Sept. 24) against the Seattle Kraken. Don’t look now, Canucks fans, but hockey is almost ready to dominate our TV screens again!
