Jesse Pulkkinen

February 2024 – Pulkkinen has impressed us more and more with each passing viewing, and we wouldn’t rank a D+1 this high if that weren’t the case. His style of play is as unique as his development trajectory; the hulking left-handed defenseman moves around the ice with shocking fluidity, which his handling skill can match. He’s composed under pressure – almost to a fault, as he can overestimate his ability to shield possession at times – and beyond comfortable with the puck on his stick. He has shown a level of offensive dare at both the WJC and in Liiga that complements his toolkit and creativity, and facilitates a 2nd pairing and PP2 projection. He uses his mobility and reach to match footwork when defending the rush, maintaining an increasingly consistent tight gap, and being able to close it aggressively and quickly.

We see upside with Pulkkinen in all three zones, but he shines brightest with the puck on his stick. To maintain a spot this high on our board, Pulkkinen will need to continue to balance on the line between actively fine-tuning his habits and retaining his offensive aggressiveness, which he has done very well so far this season. Sebastian High