Penguins Draft Profiles: Jesse Pulkkinen

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PITTSBURGH -- The 2024 NHL Draft will be an interesting test for Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Dubas made it clear that investing in draft capital and young players is the priority for this team, so the team may be attempting to move into the first round.

With no first-round pick currently, the Penguins won't select until the second round with the 44th overall selection. There should still be some exciting future NHL talent available for the Pens in the second round. One of those talents is Finnish defenseman, Jesse Pulkkinen.

Essentials

Position: Defenseman

Height: 6’6

Weight: 216 pounds

Shoots: Left

2023-24 Team: JYP (Liiga)

THN Draft Ranking: 40th

Player Breakdown

There must be something in the water for the 2024 draft class, because there are some absolute monsters waiting to be drafted. One of them is Jesse Pulkkinen. The 19-year-old was passed over in the 2023 draft, but has shot up the board due to his play this past season. He worked his way from the junior level to the top league where he ended his season averaging more than 19 minutes per game and ranked fourth in scoring among defenders under 20.

What makes him so impressive is his stick-handling and puck skills. He has a cannon of a shot that he can fire off quickly, whether it’s a slapper from the blue line or a wrist shot in tight. He’s frequently transitioning the puck like a forward, using his surprisingly soft hands to beat opposing defenders and make plays. Across all three leagues he played in this past season, he totaled 15 goals. If he pans out, he has the looks of a second to first-pairing defender who can play in a variety of situations.

What Needs to Improve

This is probably true of every hulking, developing defender, but one thing that stands out about Pulkkinen is that he isn’t very aggressive. He is able to use his size along the boards and against opposing forwards, but for a player his size, you’d love to see him initiate that physicality more as he develops.

Another area of improvement is his passing ability and decision making with the puck. He impresses you with his mobility and shooting ability, but he doesn’t make the best passes, especially in the offensive zone. Most of his offensive highlights are him carrying the puck or deking with the puck to open up a shooting lane. He’ll need to add a better outlet pass and look for his teammates more in the offensive zone.

NHL Player Comparison: Ryan Graves

NHL ETA: 2026-27

Pulkkinen could be a steal for whoever drafts him if he continues progressing the way he did over the last year. He has the size and puck skills to be in the NHL before long, and a full season in the top Finnish professional league could be the last thing standing between him and playing in North America. If his progress stalls, however, he could be a long-term project teams don’t want to wait on.

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