Valtteri Puustinen

June 2023 – Valtteri Puustinen followed his strong rookie campaign in North America with another standout season in the AHL. On a struggling Wilkes-Barre team, Puustinen once again paced the team in scoring with 59 points in 73 games. He is a speedy winger who can fit up and down the lineup. At the NHL level, Puustinen looks to fit best as a transition-focused player who can provide support to whichever center he gets the opportunity to play alongside.  I would look for Puustinen to be given an opportunity to make the roster out of training camp in 2023-24. Tyler Ball

June 2022 – In his first stint on this side of the pond, the Finnish winger led Wilkes-Barre in scoring with 42 points in 73 games. He also led the team with seven powerplay goals. Despite being a driver of defensive results, he did struggle to adjust to the small-ice game and was on the ice for a lot of goals against. However, he was heavily relied upon and didn’t have a lot of help on a struggling team. Puustinen is actually probably the most NHL-ready prospect the Penguins have, capable of scoring goals on his own with a crisp wrister and making space for his teammates with solid puck-handling ability. He has the speed and offensive ability to keep up with a Malkin or Carter as a complementary winger. Kyle Watson

May 2021 – The Penguins’ 2019 seventh-round pick capped off an impressive season in Liiga by signing a two-year entry-level contract this month. Puustinen has developed nicely in three seasons with HPK, maturing defensively and remaining a well-rounded offensive threat. There is a chance that he might take some time to adjust to the North American game, given his small stature, however, it is clear the organization has confidence in his ability. Pittsburgh fans can get a look at him in the upcoming Men’s World Championship. Kyle Watson

October 2020 – Puutstien has had a strong start to the season so far with HPK. In his first game back from the long offseason, he notched two assists, helping his team to a victory. Although, after coming in contact with someone with Covid-19, he was forced to sideline for a few games. Since making his return with the team, he has scored two goals and one assist, making his season totals two goals and three assists for five points in three games played. Clare McManus

July 2020 – Puustinen has signed a one-year contract extension with HPK of the Liiga. The Penguins own his rights until June 2021, so he will complete one more season in Finland before transitioning to North America. This is a great move for his development. Clare McManus