Valtteri Puustinen

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Valtteri Puustinen
Puustinen in 2018
Born (1999-06-04) 4 June 1999 (age 24)
Kuopio, Finland
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Right
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Pittsburgh Penguins
WBS Penguins (AHL)
HPK
National team  Finland
NHL Draft 203rd overall, 2019
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2018–present
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Ice hockey
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2021 Latvia
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 Canada

Valtteri Puustinen (born 4 June 1999) is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect under contract to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He made his NHL debut in 2022.

Playing career

Puustinen played as a youth within the HPK organization of the Finnish Liiga.[1] He was drafted 203rd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Puustinen made his Liiga debut for HPK during the 2018–19 Liiga season. He played 47 regular season games and scored 10 goals.[2]

In the 2020–21 season with HPK, Puustinen recorded 21 goals and 20 assists for 41 points in 51 games. His 21 goals led all HPK skaters and were tied for eighth in the league. He was one of just four skaters in Liiga to record 20 or more goals and assists.

On 6 May 2021, Puustinen was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins to a two-year, entry-level contract.[3] After scoring 17 goals and assists each with the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Puustinen was called up by the Penguins and played his first National Hockey League (NHL) game on 11 March 2022 against the Vegas Golden Knights. He scored his first NHL point that night, a secondary assist on Jeff Carter's goal, as the Penguins won 5–2.[4] On 20 June 2023, he was re-signed to a one-year, two-way contract by Pittsburgh.[5]

During the 2023–24 season, on 27 December 2023, Puustinen scored his first NHL goal in a 7-0 victory over the New York Islanders.[6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2017–18 HPK Jr. A 52 15 19 34 14 5 1 3 4 4
2018–19 HPK Jr. A 11 3 6 9 6 — — — — —
2018–19 HPK Liiga 47 10 3 13 14 16 2 3 5 4
2019–20 HPK Liiga 54 17 23 40 22 — — — — —
2020–21 HPK Liiga 51 21 20 41 14 — — — — —
2021–22 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 73 20 22 42 14 6 0 3 3 0
2021–22 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 1 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2022–23 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 72 24 35 59 22 — — — — —
2023–24 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 24 5 8 13 4 2 1 2 3 2
2023–24 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 52 5 15 20 6 — — — — —
Liiga totals 152 48 46 94 50 16 2 3 5 4
NHL totals 53 5 16 21 6 — — — — —

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2019 Finland WJC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 0 3 3 4
2021 Finland WC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2 0 0 0 0
Junior totals 6 0 3 3 4
Senior totals 2 0 0 0 0

References

  1. ^ "Valtteri Puustinen player profile" (in Finnish). jatkoaika.com. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Valtteri Puustinen player profile". Liiga. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Penguin sign Valterri Puustinen to a two-year, entry-level contract". Pittsburgh Penguins. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  4. ^ Crosby, Wes (11 March 2022). "Crosby streak at eight after Penguins defeat Golden Knights". NHL.com. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Penguins Re-Sign Forward Valtteri Puustinen to a One-Year Contract". NHL.com. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Hell of a win for penguins in night filled with milestones". NHL.com. 27 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.

External links

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