Canucks: Why Liam Ohgren stayed on radar as physical winger of interest

Dare to dream.

It’s never a bad idea to envision how an NHL roster could eventually play out with coveted prospects.

Liam Ohgren and Jonathan Lekkerimäki were teammates for two seasons in Sweden with Djurgardens IF and were separated by four selections in the 2022 NHL Draft. The Vancouver Canucks had obvious interest in both wingers and opted for Lekkerimäki’s skill at No. 15. The Minnesota Wild then snapped up the physical Ohgren at No. 19.

Fast forward, and the prospect of Ohgren and Lekkerimäki aligning as NHL linemates is what gets pulses racing in what has become an obvious rebuild following the trade of Quinn Hughes on Friday. Ohgren was part of that three-player, first-round pick package, and made his Canucks debut in a 2-1 win over the Devils in New Jersey on Sunday.

The left winger was on the fourth line with Max Sasson and Linus Karlsson. He logged 11:39, and what was most noticeable was his ability to play at pace, get on the forecheck, win endboard battles, and take pucks to the net.

“You can see he’s a horse,” Canucks head coach Adam Foote said of the 6-foot, 187-pound Stockholm native. “He’s so young (21) and has got the speed, and the power is going to come. It’s going to be interesting to see where he’s at in a few years with speed and strength already.”

Ohgren has just seven points (3-4) in 47 NHL games and teased of offensive potential with 37 AHL points (19-18) in 41 games last season.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Ohgren. “I bring a lot of speed and physicality and try to use my strength and shot. So, just play. It’s been tough going up between the AHL and NHL, but that’s part of it in the beginning. I want to be in the NHL and I think this is a good place and a good fit for me.

“It’s a great organization with a lot of Swedish history, which is nice to have a lot of Swedes on the team. Happy to be here and I’m excited.”

Ohgren will be happy to perhaps align with Lekkerimäki sooner than later. Lekerimaki is on an AHL heater at Abbotsoford with goals in four-straight games, including one in overtime, and has a streak of scoring in five of seven games and points in six of those outings. That’s impressive.

“We played together in junior and national teams all the way up from U-16 and the last World Juniors,” Ohgren recalled of his connection with Lekkerimäki. “It would be nice to play with him as well in the NHL.”

Prior to the 2022 NHL draft, there was legitimate thought that Ohgren’s physical presence and fast maturation might lure the Canucks instead of going for the skills package that Lekkerimäki possessed.

“Just like offensive defencemen, power forwards are hard to find and there are not many in the league,” long-serving NHL prospects scout Shane Malloy, who authored “The Art Of Scouting”, told Postmedia at the time. “If you can find one, you take him, and I understand what they (Canucks) like in Ohgren.

“He’ll be able to provide an element to the organization that they don’t have a lot of. He’s going to be more than 200 pounds, and he already plays like a man.

“His ability to control the play below the circles and in front of the net is going to be a problem for a lot of teams. He’s an excellent skater and he’s an athlete.”

Ohgren’s father, Andreas, is a well-respected strength and conditioning coach, who has worked with notable NHL players including Nicklas Backstrom, Marcus Johansson and Andre Burakovsky. His son was able to keep pace with older SHL players and was noticeably stronger on the puck and in battles in 25 games in his rookie season with Djurgardens IF, despite just two points (1-1).

That came after dominating the country’s junior loop where he had 58 points (33-25) in 30 games to rocket into first-round pick consideration. Ohgren has a heavy and accurate wrist shot, and his ability to instinctively find linemates is also very good.

“You know Liam will be in fantastic shape because he has a great work ethic,” predicted Malloy. “His hockey sense and skills are good and he’ll be a good second-line power forward in the NHL.”

That would be a dream come true for the Canucks.

OVERTIME — The Canucks held an optional practice Monday in advance of facing the New York Rangers on Tuesday, in the second stop of a five-game road trip.

bkuzma@postmedia.com