Detroit Red Wings fans will see Teemu Pulkkinen Saturday (video)
Mar 20, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Teemu Pulkkinen (56) battles for the puck with Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen (2) in the first period at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
After a western Canada road trip the Detroit Red Wings travel back home with 2 out of 3 wins. They are also coming back to the motor city a little more injured. Tomas Jurco and Johan Franzen both didn’t play in the Red Wings 3-2 win against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.
Franzen was sent to the IR after being reavaluated when the team returned on Thursday So with one regular forward on IR and the other aching, there was a chance that the Red Wings could call up Teemu Pulkkinen from Grand Rapids. Well wish and you shall receive as the Red Wings called up Pulkkinen.
Teemu Pulkkinen's next Griffins goal will have to wait. Called up by the Red Wings. Johan Franzen on IR. Wings at WASH on Saturday.
— John Keating (@JohnKeatingBSD) January 8, 2015
Pulkkinen this season has been one of if not the best player for the Grand Rapids Griffins. Pulkkinen has 20 goals and 39 points in 33 games this season. He is currently on an eight game scoring streak which is tied with a franchise record.
Pulkkinen was taken 111th overall in the 2010 NHL draft. Last season he led Grand Rapids in scoring, finishing with 31 goals and 28 assists in 71 games. In March of 2014 Pulkkinen made his debut with the Red Wings in a game against Edmonton. He was only with the team for three games and didn’t play much.
However now it looks like Pulkkinen will get some time to shine with the big club. With the moving of Franzen to the IR a spot is made for the 23 year-old Finnish sniper. Franzen was leveled by Edmonton Oiler Rob Klinkhammer in the Red Wings win.
Franzen has been an important player for the Red Wings this season but in recent weeks his numbers have seen a down side. He has only netted one goal and eight assists in his past 20 games for the Red Wings. Hopefully with some time on the IR he can get himself healthy and be a productive factor for the team.
However, in his absence Red Wing fans get to see more of the young future core of the team. If you have never been to a Grand Rapids game this year or even last season, you probably haven’t gotten to see much of Pulkkinen. Before being drafted by the Red Wings, Pulkkinen played with Jokerit who at the time played in the SM-liiga league in Finland.
Jokerit is now playing in the Kontinental Hockey League, but when Pulkkinen was playing with them, he was playing against some of the highest rated talent in Finland. What he lacks in size standing only 5′ 10”, he makes up for in skill and the ability to get the puck to the back of the net, which he learned to do while playing for Jokerit.
Just watching his highlight packets on a simple YouTube search Red Wing fans who haven’t seen him should be nothing but happy about his future.
The Red Wings are back in action this Saturday as they take on the red hot Washington Capitals. Are you excited for Teemu Pulkkinen play? Did you even know who he was before today? Let us know down below.