Teemu Pulkkinen is tearing it up with Helsinki Jokerit

[Lazerbeam 13]

Some great early news on the Wings 4th round steal!!

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Teemu Pulkkinen is making up for lost time in the Finnish SM-Liiga.

After battling through a brutal injury-plagued season that saw his draft stock plummet from first-round candidate to eventual fourth-round selection, Pulkkinen is tearing it up with Helsinki Jokerit.

Through eight games, Pulkkinen — who the Red Wings liken to Jari Kurri — has a team-best four goals and three assists for seven points in eight games. Not only that, he's launched a stunning 41 shots on goal.

He's tied for 11th in scoring and shots and is still only 18 years old.

What makes Pulkkinen's hot start that much more impressive is the fact he had off-season shoulder surgery that put him off the ice for a whopping 18 weeks. The surgery corrected a problem that forced him to miss the second half of the 2009-10 season.

Add it all up and the Red Wings have uncovered an outstanding prospect via a mid-round pick. They nabbed the 5-foot-11 183-pounder 111st overall in the 2010 draft, calling him a pure sniper while accepting that skating is his biggest knock.

"He's a goal-scorer, which is really hard to find these days, but he can also make plays," Finnish scout Ari Vuori said on draft day. "He has a good shot and he's so smart at finding openings."

The Red Wings will look for Pulkkinen to continue his strong start and take his act to the world stage in December at the world junior championship. His injury forced him to miss last year's tournament.

[crotty99 302]

I know very little about the kid, but this sounds exciting.

[Datsyerberger 279]

To add on to that, Calle Jarnkrok is ripping it up in the SEL so far, for someone his age.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

To add on to that, Calle Jarnkrok is ripping it up in the SEL so far, for someone his age.

Yeah Pulkkinen and Jarnkrok are tearing it up in the early going. Pulkkinen has something like 51 shots in 10 games. I feel we've got two exceptional talents in these kids, and both will prove to be steals.

[titanium2 867]

Yeah Pulkkinen and Jarnkrok are tearing it up in the early going. Pulkkinen has something like 51 shots in 10 games. I feel we've got two exceptional talents in these kids, and both will prove to be steals.

Ovechkin. Haha.

[FinWing 26]

Pulkkinen is looking like a true Finnish sniper at this point. Reminds me of a young Selanne.

[Travis 576]

Ovechkin. Haha.

51 in 10, not 51 in 1.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Yeah Pulkkinen and Jarnkrok are tearing it up in the early going. Pulkkinen has something like 51 shots in 10 games. I feel we've got two exceptional talents in these kids, and both will prove to be steals.

and the Wings scouting staff does it again!

[VM1138 1,921]

and the Wings scouting staff does it again!

Hopefully. I'm excited but I keep hearing he's not a good skater and that kind of worries me. That will result in less production when he arrives in the NHL.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Hopefully. I'm excited but I keep hearing he's not a good skater and that kind of worries me. That will result in less production when he arrives in the NHL.

He's also only 18 - skating ability can be taught...

[Crashnburnluder 385]

Brett Hull wasn't a good skater either, Pulkkinen sounds like a guy that post up on the weak side and just blasts home one t's and clappers all game. You don't have to be a skater to score just have to put your self in scoring posistion or open ice.

Crash

[Guest Crymson]

I've got an idea: let's start going Tonya Harding-style on foreign players in the season before they're draft-eligible. The injuries will be ones that can be recovered from, but they'll cause some downtime during the season in question, and then the Wings can move in and nab the player late.

Nah, kidding.

Hopefully. I'm excited but I keep hearing he's not a good skater and that kind of worries me. That will result in less production when he arrives in the NHL.

That's why we've got conditioning coaches

[Travis 576]

That's why we've still got Kris Draper

[wings1110 184]

Mitch Callahan also has 4 points in six games also.

[Motown4013 350]

The future's so bright, I have to wear shades! :afro:

[Guest Heaten]

Wings have a bright future. People on the Detroit Red Wings HFBOARDS have a melt down thread with nothing but doom & gloom in the near future. As long as the Red Wings are owned by a dedicated owner in Ilitch who employs the best hockey minds in the world, Detroit will always be a good and competitive team. Lidstrom's retirement is going to sting, but I'm sure Wings' brass will plug the hole to stop the bleeding and keep on truckin.

I'm not worried about this teams future.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Heaten

[ricky0034 89]

Yeah Pulkkinen and Jarnkrok are tearing it up in the early going. Pulkkinen has something like 51 shots in 10 games. I feel we've got two exceptional talents in these kids, and both will prove to be steals.

something to keep in mind though

the SM-liiga(the league Pulkkinen plays in) counts shots that miss the net and blocked shots in that number

so it is not actually 51 shots on goal

[Guest Heaten]

something to keep in mind though

the SM-liiga(the league Pulkkinen plays in) counts shots that miss the net and blocked shots in that number

so it is not actually 51 shots on goal

This is true, but those shots are still effective, especially at the JLA. How many goals have Red Wings scored that rebounded off the backboards? A ton

Pulkkinen isn't the type of player that comes around often. I like this pick!

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Hopefully. I'm excited but I keep hearing he's not a good skater and that kind of worries me. That will result in less production when he arrives in the NHL.

First hand reports of people who have seen him play are saying that his skating has improved, as has his defensve play. Not a great indicator, but he's a +5 through 10 games too.

[redwingfan19 293]

He's also only 18 - skating ability can be taught...

his skating will get better as he get's stronger and I'm sure the wings would provide a world class skating instructor so no worries there. This kid is legit, him and Tatar are 2 bonifide snipers we have in the system now. Future looking great!

[SDavis35 140]

The skating issue reminds me of Leino, and look how well he succeeded in the right system? Hopefully we don't have to give him up because "he doesn't fit"

[Reilly 24]

I think Pulkkinen will be effective staying at the top of the circle to fire one-timers at the net.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

Wings have a bright future. People on the Detroit Red Wings HFBOARDS have a melt down thread with nothing but doom & gloom in the near future. As long as the Red Wings are owned by a dedicated owner in Ilitch who employs the best hockey minds in the world, Detroit will always be a good and competitive team. Lidstrom's retirement is going to sting, but I'm sure Wings' brass will plug the hole to stop the bleeding and keep on truckin.

I'm not worried about this teams future.

What are they so worried about? I mean we have great young prospects in Tatar, Pulkkinen, Smith, Jarnkrok, Nestrasil, and possibly Kindl if he has a fine year, plus I think Almqvist is gonna be the best thing since sliced bread. I just have a good feeling about him.

I also notice Dick Axelsson on that list. I thought we let him go because of his attitude?

Edited October 14, 2010 by dropkickshanahans