Vancouver Canucks Make Emergency Roster Move After Sudden Injury Setback
The Vancouver Canucks have had to place Dakota Joshua on IR, and following that move, they recalled Jonathan Lekkerimaki from Abbotsford on an emergency basis.
Vancouver center Dakota Joshua has been placed on injured reserve by the Canucks retroactive to Jan. 3, the club announced Monday.
In response, the Canucks called up right-wing Jonathan Lekkerimaki from their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford on an emergency recall.
The 28-year-old Dakota Joshua is in his third campaign with Vancouver and has two goals and two assists in 24 games this season.
He had a career-best 32 points last season with 18 goals and 14 assists in 63 games and added eight points in 13 playoff games. The Michigan native is in the first year of a four-year deal that carries a $3.25 million annual cap hit, according to PuckPedia.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Joshua has played 208 NHL games for the Canucks and St. Louis Blues and had 68 points (35 goals, 33 assists).
With 17 points, 12 goals, and five assists in 21 games so far this season, 20-year-old Jonathan Lekkerimaki has been Abbotsford's top scorer.
A forward out of Sweden, Lekkerimaki made his NHL debut earlier this season after Vancouver picked him with the 15th overall choice in the 2022 NHL Draft.
In five games with the Canucks, he scored his first NHL goal in a 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders in November. Lekkerimaki made his North American debut last season and had two points in six games with Abbotsford.
Vancouver occupies the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference at 18-12-8 with 44 points.
The Canucks will look to return to the win column on Monday against the visiting Montreal Canadiens after getting shut out 3-0 at home by the Nashville Predators.
