The Vancouver Canucks have placed forward Dakota Joshua on injured reserve and recalled Jonathan Lekkerimäki on an emergency basis. General manager Patrik Allvin made the announcement early Monday morning.
Joshua departed during the second period of the Canucks’ loss to the Nashville Predators on Friday after taking a hit, but returned for the third.
To land on IR is a tough blow for Joshua, who’s season got off to a late start thanks to a September testicular cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment kept him from making his season debut until mid-November. Understandably, Joshua’s season had gotten off to a slow start upon returning, as he has just four points through 24 games. That being said, Joshua appeared to be turning a corner and looking more and more like the player we saw last season, which makes this IR stint even more frustrating.
Coming up to join the Canucks in Montreal is 20-year-old Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who got a five-game NHL stint with the Canucks earlier this season. Through 21 AHL games this season, the sharpshooting Lekkerimäki is up to 12 goals and five assists. He scored his first NHL goal during his first stint with the Canucks this season.
Prior to the Canucks sending Lekkerimäki down originally, we caught up with him to talk about what he learned during that NHL stint.
“It’s a lot of wall play,” Lekkerimäki told CanucksArmy. “I think the defence has been good, but I think I can create more offence and get some more shots at the net, too.”
“You play against the best players in the world so you’ve got to think faster and do everything faster so I think I can learn from those games that I played and try to get some shots every time I get the chance.”
The Canucks could certainly use a shooter like Lekkerimäki as Friday’s loss to the Predators came in the form of a 3-0 shutout loss. Currently in Montreal to kick off their five-game road trip with a tilt against the Canadiens on Monday night, it’s a short trip to join the big club for Lekkerimäki, as the Abbotsford Canucks were just in Laval themselves.
There’s no word yet on where Lekkerimäki will play in the lineup, but keep it locked here on CanucksArmy as we get you set for tonight’s game.