Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Djurgardens
Let’s go international with this potential pick for the Nashville Predators, and that’s right winger Johanthan Lekkerimaki.
Many mock drafts have Lekkerimaki going near or just outside the top-10, but with the unpredictability of this year’s draft, I have my hopes he slides for some reason.
If you’re looking for someone in this year’s draft class that just has that uncanny ability to put pucks past netminder, look no further than Lekkerimaki. The dude just pots goals, but does his skillset end there?
Per Dobber Prospects, Lekkerimaki may end up needing talented distributors around him to really produce. He’s not exactly what you would call an “all-around player”. That’s not to say he can’t develop into one eventually, but as of now you’re taking him purely due to his high offensive output.
From Dobber Prospects:
"“He’s likely the purest goalscorer in his class and although he’ll likely need good playmakers to find him in soft spots throughout his career, he could play a top-six role and fill the net.”"
It’s no secret that the Predators need more goal scoring, and really need it at the wing position. Drafting Lekkerimaki wouldn’t be an instant fix, like most draft picks, but down the road could end up filling a major weakness for the Predators.
More so than the two previous players mentioned, Pickering and Geekie, Lekkerimaki really intrigues me and excites me at the promises of taking a high-end goal scorer.
Now it will be the job of the organization to build a roster that fits well around Lekkerimaki once he gets onto the NHL level. In the wrong situation, he has bust potential so take that for what it’s worth. I still like the idea of the Predators choosing him in this spot.