Valtteri Puustinen Explained

Valtteri Puustinen
Birth Date:1999 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Kuopio, Finland
Height Ft:5
Height In:9
Weight Lb:183
Position:Right wing
Shoots:Right
League:NHL
Team:Pittsburgh Penguins
Prospect League:AHL
Former Teams:HPK
Ntl Team:FIN
Draft:203rd overall
Draft Year:2019
Draft Team:Pittsburgh Penguins
Career Start:2018

Valtteri Puustinen (born 4 June 1999) is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger for 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 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 seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
2017–18HPKJr. A52 15 19 34 145 1 3 4 4
2018–19HPKJr. A11 3 6 9 6
2018–19HPKLiiga47 10 3 13 1416 2 3 5 4
2019–20HPKLiiga54 17 23 40 22
2020–21HPKLiiga51 21 20 41 14
2021–22Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL73 20 22 42 146 0 3 3 0
2021–22Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL1 0 1 1 0
2022–23Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL72 24 35 59 22
2023–24Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL24 5 8 13 42 1 2 3 2
2023–24Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL52 5 15 20 6
Liiga totals152 48 46 94 5016 2 3 5 4
NHL totals53 5 16 21 6

International

YearTeamEventResultGP G A Pts PIM
2019FinlandWJC6 0 3 3 4
2021FinlandWC2 0 0 0 0
Junior totals6 0 3 3 4
Senior totals2 0 0 0 0

Notes and References

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