Category: NHL

When it rains, it pours. For Frank Vatrano, it might as well have been hailing. Entering the first season of a three-year extension that he signed just over a year ago with the Ducks, Vatrano was set to play for Joel Quenneville again. Quenneville was someone Vatrano knew previously from playing under him with the Florida Panthers. Vatrano was also coming off his third consecutive 40-point season, with his tenure as a Duck being the most productive of his career.

However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Vatrano in 2025-26. He’s having his worst statistical season by far since becoming a full-time NHLer, relegated to the fourth line and barely accumulating any special teams minutes. His average time on ice (12:21) is the lowest it’s been since the 2021-22 season, when he was playing for the Panthers.

To further exacerbate things, Vatrano suffered a shoulder injury on Dec. 27 against the Los Angeles Kings after his skate got caught in the ice and he slammed into the boards. He did not return to the game and the Ducks announced on Dec. 31 that Vatrano would be out for approximately six weeks due to a shoulder fracture.

“My immediate reaction was, ‘Am I paralyzed?’ I went in pretty (dangerously) there. I went in neck-first, and you’re always taught as a kid when you're going into the boards neck-first that you don't go in (with your head bent down), you kind of just bail, and that's what I did. I bailed and I let my shoulder take the blunt of it. I'm lucky I was taught that at a young age, because I don't know where I would have been if I didn't know how to protect myself from the injury that I had. It could have been a lot worse.”

The Ducks have gone 9-8-1 in the 18 games that Vatrano has missed, equalizing their seven-game losing streak with a subsequent seven-game winning streak. They finished out the pre-Olympic break portion of the season with two consecutive wins.

“I think the whole league has gone through it this year, with losing streaks and whatnot,” Vatrano said. “We crawled our way out of it, it was a team effort to crawl out of it. 
We didn't like the way that we were playing. I think we were playing too high-risk. I think we sharpened some things up defensively. We know we could score goals, but we want to keep the puck out of the net, so I think we've been doing a good job at that. 
We've been playing very hard defensively and just overall being a tough team to play against.”

“No one ever wants to watch from up top (in the press box), but I think when you watch from up top, you can kind of see the game in a whole different perspective. Things are kind of slowed down up there. You see the plays develop and you put that in your mind when you're out there on the ice. You have extra plays to make and you have extra time, so you definitely benefit from that side of things.”

The Olympic break has given Vatrano ample time to rehab his injury without missing more games than he would have during a normal NHL season. While coming out of the break could feel like a mental reset on his season, he prefers to think of ways he can positively impact the team, even if his individual performance hasn’t been up to his standard.

“When things aren't going well, sometimes other things happen. That seems like that's what happened to me. When things aren't going well on the ice, then you either get hurt or something happens. You never really want to take a reset. You always want to be able to help the team, regardless of how the season's going for you. 
You want to feel (like you’re) a part of the group and help them go forward. To take the positive out of it, it's kind of time for me to sit back and work on my game a little bit and try to get back a little bit.”

“Frankie gives us hard work, gives us an honest effort,” Quenneville said. “One of the guys (who is) well-liked (and gives us) enthusiasm. Whether it was his shot or his production, it's been off a little bit, and I think that he needs to get himself feeling good and getting that some confidence in his game and with the puck on his stick, go from there.”

With Vatrano and Leo Carlsson (Morel-Lavallée lesion) back in the fold, this is the closest the Ducks have been to full health since training camp. Quenneville will have plenty of options to choose from when crafting his lineups moving forward.

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The Winnipeg Jets are beginning to filter back into the city following vacations and the Olympic break, turning their attention toward a return to regular season action midway through next week.

With several key players still away or sidelined, the organization made a series of roster moves to help facilitate full practices. Winnipeg is currently without starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, top forward Kyle Connor and star defenseman Josh Morrissey.

To stabilize the roster during workouts, the Jets recalled goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis, defencemen Ville Heinola and Elias Salomonsson, and forward Walker Duehr from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.

The decision to bring up two defencemen has sparked some speculation about what could be ahead for Winnipeg’s blue line. One possibility is that the team does not expect one of its injured defenders to be ready when play resumes. Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller and Neal Pionk have all dealt with injuries in recent weeks.

Another potential scenario is that the Jets are preparing for a move once the NHL trade freeze lifts next week. Defenseman Logan Stanley has been mentioned in trade speculation, and the Olympic break may have provided an opportunity for discussions to progress behind the scenes.

For now, head coach Scott Arniel offered measured updates. Miller skated Monday and is scheduled for an injured reserve skate Wednesday. Pionk is considered a possibility for the team’s upcoming road trip. Fleury is progressing but will need additional time to rebuild conditioning, potentially opening the door for Heinola or Salomonsson to remain on the roster when games resume.

pic.twitter.com/VdkeNli4V3 Winnipeg's Josh Morrissey appears to suffer lower-body injury after his leg kicks out after colliding with Czechia player. Tried to come back in the second period but was unable to go. #GoJetsGo

— Jake Tye (@JakeTye10) February 14, 2026

There was also encouraging news on Morrissey, who was injured while representing Canada men's national ice hockey team at the Winter Olympics. He is expected to return to the lineup before the end of the tournament and could rejoin Canada as early as Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchup against Czechia men's national ice hockey team.

The Jets’ roster picture should become clearer in the coming days as the Olympics wind down and Winnipeg ramps up full practices in preparation for its return to NHL play.

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The Philadelphia Flyers will be an interesting team to watch ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They are currently eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, so there is a chance that they will be sellers.

However, at the same time, the possibility of them adding to their roster should not be ruled out. One of the Flyers' biggest needs is another goaltender, so let's look at three netminders who could be good fits for Philadelphia. 

Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild 

Jesper Wallstedt is the most notable goaltender in the rumor mill right now. At just 23 years old, he would have the potential to be a perfect long-term fit for the Flyers if they acquired him. The 2021 first-round pick has a 14-5-4 record, a .914 save percentage, and a 2.72 goals-against average. 

However, the Minnesota Wild's asking price for Wallstedt is undoubtedly very high, so coming up with a trade package to land him could be too tough for the Flyers. Yet, on paper, the fit looks perfect between Wallstedt and Philly. 

Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs 

Could the Flyers consider a reunion with Anthony Stolarz? The 32-year-old kicked off his NHL career in Philadelphia and has come up in the rumor mill this season. 

Stolarz has struggled and also has had some injury trouble this season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, though. In 16 games this campaign with Toronto, he has a 7-7-1 record, a .882 save percentage, and a 3.55 goals-against average. However, he also led the NHL with a .925 save percentage in 2023-24 and a .926 save percentage last season. With this, he could be a bounce-back candidate for the Flyers to consider pursuing if the Maple Leafs end up being open to moving him. 

Colten Ellis, Buffalo Sabres 

Colten Ellis could be an interesting under-the-radar goalie for the Flyers to take a chance on. The Buffalo Sabres currently have three goalies on their NHL roster, and Ellis is behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon on their depth chart. With this, some questions have come up about Ellis' long-term future in Buffalo. 

If the Flyers acquired Ellis, he would give them another young option to work with for their backup role. The 25-year-old has had a decent rookie season with the Sabres, as he has a 7-4-1 record, a .896 save percentage, and a 3.11 goals-against in 13 games. This is after he had a 22-14-3 record and a .922 save percentage in 42 AHL games last season with the Springfield Thunderbirds. 

Relax. Matt Savoie heading back to Bakersfield is not what it looks like.

The news broke Tuesday that the 22-year-old Edmonton Oilers forward was being sent down to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors during the Olympic break, and if you spent any time on social media in the aftermath, you’d think the sky was falling. It isn’t. Not even close. What this actually is — and bear with me here, because it’s surprisingly simple — is the Oilers giving a young player some meaningful game time while NHL action is on pause. That’s it. That’s the whole story.

There's some context people seem to be skipping over; the NHL is in the middle of its Olympic break. Games don’t resume until February 25th. Established veterans? They get most of February off — they’ve earned it. But rookies don’t get the same extended vacation. They get a couple of weeks, maybe, and then they’re expected to say “thank you, coach” and get to work. Sending Savoie to Bakersfield isn’t a punishment or a message, but a maintenance plan. The Oilers want him sharp, in game shape, and playing real hockey when the lights come back on — not rusty and stiff from sitting idle for three weeks.

Savoie was loaned to the AHL Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday. With NHL action at a standstill for the Olympic break, the Oilers will give the young Savoie some extra game reps.  That’s straight from the team’s logic, and it makes complete sense. He has held his own in the NHL this season with nine goals, nine assists, 79 shots on net and 28 blocked shots across 58 games.  That’s the stat line of a player who has legitimately stuck at the NHL level in his first real crack at it, not one who's being burried.

Let’s not forget where this kid came from, either. He had 19 goals, 35 assists and 54 points across 66 games a season ago in the AHL — numbers that made him one of the better young players in the entire league. He was the Condors’ leading scorer. He earned his callup. And then he went out and made the Oilers’ opening night roster. Savoie was ninth overall in the 2022 draft. He wasn’t supposed to be an afterthought — and he isn’t one.

The geography of all this makes the “demotion” narrative even sillier. When the Oilers kick off their post-Olympic schedule with a California road trip, Savoie will likely return to the Oilers before the team resumes regular-season play Feb. 25 in Anaheim.  Against the Ducks. Bakersfield is about two hours north of Anaheim on the I-5. The man could practically drive himself to the rink, lace up his skates, and be good to go. This isn’t a long-term separation from the big club.

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And if you need a reminder of how the Oilers actually view Savoie, think back to earlier this season. When the coaches wanted to experiment with a trio of dynamic young forwards, it was Savoie they put in the middle, centering a line alongside Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson. That kid line buzzed with potential. Savoie spent time in the top six earlier in the year alongside Leon Draisaitl, and by one underlying metric — five-on-five expected goals for per 60 minutes — he ranked first on the entire team during that stretch. Not just among rookies. On the whole team.

Is he getting the ice time that maybe his underlying numbers suggest he deserves? Probably not. Kris Knoblauch has historically been conservative with young players, and Savoie has bounced between lineup spots more than some fans would like. That’s a fair criticism of how he’s been deployed. But being deployed inconsistently by a veteran-heavy coaching staff is a very different problem than being written off entirely. One is a usage issue. The other is a death sentence. Savoie has the former, not the latter.

McDavid's Got His International Winger For The Next 10 YearsLife's pretty good right now if you're a Team Canada fan. Or an <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Oilers</a> fan. Or even a Sharks fan, believe it or not.

He’s 22 years old. He’s on a team with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He’s on an entry-level contract through next season, with plenty of time left in his window to grow into a bigger role. The Oilers didn’t trade Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio to Buffalo to watch Savoie disappear into the minor leagues. They traded for him because they believe in him.

So let him go get a few games in Bakersfield, stay sharp, and come back ready to roll when Anaheim rolls around on the 25th. The future is still bright. It just needed a brief pit stop.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a position to add to their roster ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They are currently in second place in the Metropolitan Division standings and should be open to upgrading their group because of it. 

One area that the Penguins could aim to improve is the right side of their blueline. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider stands out as an intriguing potential target for the Penguins. 

With Schneider being just 24 years old, he would be a strong fit on a team that is focused on the future, like the Penguins. Furthermore, he is still young enough that the possibility of him improving should not be ruled out. Perhaps getting a fresh start with the Penguins could help him do just that. 

If the Penguins acquired Schneider, he could work on either their second pairing or third pairing. Furthermore, due to his shutdown ability, the 6-foot-4 blueliner would also give Pittsburgh another clear option for their penalty kill to consider. 

Schneider is in the final season of his two-year, $4.4 million contract, but is a pending restricted free agent (RFA). Thus, he would have the potential to be more than a rental for the Penguins if acquired, which adds to his appeal. 

In 57 games this season with the Rangers, Schneider has recorded two goals, nine assists, 11 points, and 123 hits. 

With multiple New York Rangers players competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, including J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Mika Zibanejad, the week of practice leading up to the Rangers’ first game back to action on Feb. 26 presents an opportunity for some prospects. 

Ahead of Tuesday’s practice, the Rangers called up forward Brendan Brisson, who hasn't suited up for the Blueshirts since being traded from the Golden Knights on March 6, 2025, in a deal that was headlined by Reilly Smith.

“I mean, you never really know what's gonna happen until it happens. I found out I was traded and I didn't really know where until like a couple minutes after, so when I found out it was New York, I was pretty excited,” Brisson said of being traded to the Rangers. “Obviously great organization, the history here and the fans and MSG and everything, so definitely I was excited.”

Since being traded to New York, Brisson has exclusively played for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

In 46 games in the AHL this season, the 24-year-old forward has recorded 13 goals, 10 assists, and 23 points. 

“I feel good all around, not just offensively,” Brisson said. “Down in Hartford, I’ve been relied on in close games, on the defensive side too. I feel like I've gotten my offensive touch back… I have a little bit more confidence than I did in the past. It’s been a good season for me so far.”

Being called up for these handful of practices, Brisson is not guaranteed to play in any games for the Rangers. 

However, any set call-up from the AHL presents the chance for a player to showcase his skills with the goal of eventually earning an NHL spot, which is the mindset Brisson is trying to carry. 

“It's a chance to come up here and practice and see what happens,” said Brisson. “It's exciting. It's cool to be back. It was fun day today on the ice, so just kind of taking it day-by-day. I don't really know what to expect. Just kind of (trying to) work hard in practice and see what happens.”

Brisson was selected by the Golden Knights in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft, and the Rangers are clinging to hope that his first-round potential translates to the NHL.

Why The Rangers Decided Not To Send Gabe Perreault Down To AHL During Olympic Break One of the only bright spots for the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> through a tumultuous 2025-26 season has been the emergence of Gabe Perreault.&nbsp;

During the 2025 offseason, the Rangers signed Brisson to a one-year, two-way contract extension. 

That opportunity to play in the NHL in a Rangers uniform hasn’t come for Brisson. He does have NHL experience though, playing in 24 games over a two-season span with the Golden Knights, where he tallied eight points. 

With the one-year anniversary of his arrival to the Rangers organization quickly approaching, Brisson feels prepared to take the leap from the AHL to the NHL.

“The ultimate goal is to come up, leave an impression and stay,” Brisson said. “Whenever I get my next opportunity, I'm definitely looking forward to it, and I’m ready for an opportunity.”

The Vancouver Canucks have made a couple of organizational moves today, re-assigning goaltenders Aku Koskenvuo to the NHL and Ty Young from the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL to the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL. This comes on the same day that Vancouver is set to resume practicing as the 2026 Winter Olympics progress. 

Vancouver’s goaltending moves come due to the fact that Thatcher Demko will remain unavailable for the remainder of the season while Kevin Lankinen represents Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This has resulted in both Koskenvuo and Jiří Patera practicing with Vancouver until Lankinen returns. In the meantime, Young and Nikita Tolopilo will oversee Abbotsford’s crease. 

Koskenvuo started the 2025–26 season with Kalamazoo, but found himself with Abbotsford by mid-November due to Vancouver’s injury issues. The goaltender won his first career AHL start and has since played in nine games for Abbotsford. At the AHL-level, Koskenvuo has put together a record of 2–5–0–1 as well as a 3.20 GAA and .895 SV%. 

Young’s time in Abbotsford this season did not go the way many may have expected it to. The goaltender, playing behind a depleted lineup due to injuries and NHL call-ups, did not win any of the seven games he played in, finishing this stint with a 4.75 GAA and .840 SV%. Since arriving in Kalamazoo, Young has registered a 7–5–1 record, a 3.26 GAA, and a .896 SV%. 

Vancouver resumes play on February 25 with a 7:00 pm PT home matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins were back at practice on Tuesday after almost two full weeks off. 

They last played on Feb. 5 against the Buffalo Sabres and have been off since Feb. 6 due to the NHL's Olympic break rules. Tuesday's practice saw the return of two players, defenseman Kris Letang and forward Filip Hallander. Both players were in full-contact jerseys.

Letang missed the last four games before the Olympic break with a fractured foot. He last played on Jan. 29 against the Chicago Blackhawks and has three goals and 25 points in 50 games. 

He was a full participant during practice and looked very comfortable in each drill. He was also skating really well and was paired with his usual defense partner, Brett Kulak. Letang told reporters after practice that he expects to play next Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. It's the Penguins' first game after the Olympic break. 

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Hallander was also a full participant in practice. He has been out since November due to a blood clot, but has been skating on his own before practices for the last few weeks. He's now back at practice and is getting closer to a return.

Hallander was paired with Bryan Rust and Kevin Hayes on the top line during drills. Hayes is filling in for Sidney Crosby, who is playing for Team Canada at the Olympics, while Hallander is filling in for Rickard Rakell, who is representing Team Sweden. 

Hallander last played on Nov. 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, a 4-3 loss for the Penguins. The Penguins had a 3-0 lead through two periods against the Leafs and needed to finish them off in the third, but collapsed. Hallander has one goal and four points in 13 games this season. 

He might get a conditioning assignment to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once the team deems him ready to play. 

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Tuesday's practice lasted over an hour, and, as always, it was high-spirited and competitive. The vibes were also through the roof, which shouldn't surprise anyone considering where the Penguins are in the standings.

They'll enter next Thursday's game in second place in the Metropolitan Division and will have two games to close out February before their brutal March schedule starts. 

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Here's a look at the full lines for Tuesday's practice: 

Forwards

Hayes-Hallander-Rust

Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin

Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Kulak-Letang

Wotherspoon-Shea

Solovyov-Clifton

Ryan Graves was skating on an extra pair. Erik Karlsson is usually with Parker Wotherspoon, but like Rakell, is representing Sweden at the Olympics. 

Sweden faces Latvia on Tuesday, and the winner will play the United States in the quarterfinals at 3:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday. 

Stuart Skinner was the primary goaltender for practice since Arturs Silovs is with Latvia. 

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The Penguins will return to practice on Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET. They'll also practice on Thursday and Friday before taking an off day on Saturday. 

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Veteran forward Jeff Skinner cleared waivers Tuesday after the San Jose Sharks waived him the day before.

The Sharks said it was a mutual decision to part ways.

“We want to thank Jeff for his contributions to the organization, and wish him all the best,” Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a statement.

The 33-year-old, who signed a one-year, $3 million contract with San Jose, had six goals and seven assists in 32 games.

Skinner has scored at least 30 goals six times and won the Calder Trophy in 2011 as the NHL's top rookie while playing for the Carolina Hurricanes.

He played in the postseason last season for the first time in his career, suiting up for the Edmonton Oilers.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have recalled goaltender Carson Bjarnason from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

With Dan Vladar currently representing Team Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Bjarnason will fill in for him at the Flyers' practices until he returns to the club. 

Still, this is a good opportunity for Bjarnason to get some practice time with the Flyers and show them what he can do. The 20-year-old goaltender is viewed as having good upside and has the potential to emerge as a nice part of the Flyers' roster in the  future.

Bjarnason is currently in his first AHL season with the Phantoms. In 22 games with the AHL club so far, he has recorded an 11-7-3 record, a .889 save percentage, and a 3.08 goals-against average. This is after the 2023 second-round pick had a 22-15-3 record and a .913 save percentage in 40 games this past season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Today was the first day back for the non-Olympian Pittsburgh Penguins who will take part in some practices to knock the rust off and get ready for the NHL’s return on February 26th. The Pens had two faces back on the ice with Kris Letang and Filip Hallander out with their teammates.

Kris Letang is also skating with his teammates. He missed the last four games before the Olympic break with a lower-body injury. https://t.co/vMBZkh9Zmz

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) February 17, 2026

Letang suffered a fractured foot at the end of January and was said to be out for four weeks. Seeing him back on the ice now is a good sign that he’ll be ready to go when the games resume.

Hallander’s situation has been more fluid, suffering a blood clot from a puck strike in the leg back in early November. He has been able to do some workouts on his own but has been unable before today to participate in a team practice due to the three-month period while on blood thinners to treat the clot. There hasn’t been any official update on his status yet, though it sounds like good news that he was able to take the next step in his recovery.

The Pens still have four Olympians away from the team, Arturs Silovs won’t start today for Latvia in their upcoming quarterfinal game against Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and Sweden. Sidney Crosby plays tomorrow for Canada.

The Penguins have another practice scheduled tomorrow at 11am and will put in some rink time almost daily over the next week as the players shake off the sand from their vacations and get ready to get back into the swing of the NHL schedule all over again later next week.

The Chicago Blackhawks and the rest of the National Hockey League don't return to game action until next week, but they are going to start ramping up practices this week. On Tuesday, it was an optional skate, as it will be on Wednesday. 

Teuvo Teravainen is still over in Milan, as his Finnish team is set to take on Switzerland on Wednesday in the quarterfinal. 

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There is some news to report on the North American side of things as well. For one, goalie prospect Stanislav Berezhnoy has been suspended for 20 games for violating the AHL/PHPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program's terms.  

“We were informed last week that Stanislav tested positive for a prohibited substance under the AHL/PHPA’s Performance Enhancing Substance Program." Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said. "While Stanislav did not knowingly take a prohibited substance, we believe his positive test is a result of a supplement he was consuming at the time. Stanislav has taken full responsibility for the situation, and the organization praises him for the maturity and accountability he has shown. The Blackhawks organization fully supports Stanislav and knows he will use this as an opportunity to grow as he continues his development.”

When something like this happens, there is a chance that it was not known by the player as it was happening. Still, responsibility will be taken by Berezhnoy for this mistake. 

In other news, the Blackhawks sent out season ticket renewals on Tuesday. There is going to be a roughly two percent increase in the prices. 

The NHL schedule is expanding to 84 regular-season games in 2025-26, but the Blackhawks will still only play 41 home games because they are scheduled to host what they are calling a "special event". 

With the Winter Classic already scheduled for St. Lake City between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche, and one Stadium Series game set between the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights in Dallas, it is unlikely to be an outdoor game. 

It could be a trip to Europe, which would be Chicago's first since 2019, when they went to Berlin and Prague. With this team coming from a big market with the hype of being an "up and coming team", this isn't the last time the league will put them on a big stage. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Say what you may about Vancouver Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimäki’s 2025–26 season, but you can’t deny that the forward has stepped things up offensively at the AHL level. The forward has bounced up and down from the NHL to AHL, but currently remains with the Abbotsford Canucks as Vancouver remains on break during the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Lekkerimäki continued flexing his offensive talents with a two-goal performance during Abbotsford’s 5–3 win against the Ontario Reign on Monday afternoon, keeping his overall stats on the season to a point-per-game at the AHL level. Through 20 games with Abbotsford this season, Lekkerimäki has scored a grand total of 13 goals. 

Lekkerimäki’s two goals from Monday afternoon’s performance have propelled him up to 10th all-time in Abbotsford Canucks history in goals-scored, tying him with Sheldon Rempal with 33 total. Aside from Rempal, no other member of this list has played less than 100 games when logging this stat. 

With two more goals, Lekkerimäki can leapfrog his way to ninth in franchise history, passing Max Sasson’s 34 total goals-scored. The current franchise leader in goals scored is Linus Karlsson, who has scored 70 in 164 games. If he is able to score five more goals in the AHL this season — which will depend on whether he rejoins the Canucks after the Olympic break or not — Lekkerimäki could finish the season with the eighth-most, surpassing Aatu Räty’s 38. 

Abbotsford embarks on a five-game road trip beginning on February 18 with a rematch against the Reign in Ontario. From there, they will face the Henderson Silver Knights on February 20 and 21, before taking on the Calgary Wranglers on February 27 and March 1. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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