NY Islanders defensive prospect Jesse Pulkkinen began his career as a forward

When the NY Islanders selected Jesse Pulkkinen in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft, they saw an offensive-minded defenseman who didn't break out of his shell until he turned 19. Pulkkinen, the first overage player to be selected in the draft, possesses the offensive flair the Islanders' prospect pool is looking for.

Pulkkinen began his playing days as a forward before shifting to the blue line like a handful of great offensive-minded defensemen in the NHL. Once he entered the ranks at his current team, JYP in Finland at the U16 level, he was moved to defense. But he feels his time spent as a forward gives him an edge over the opposition. "Yes, the background as an attacker helps in the sense that you can think a little about what the attackers are thinking," Pulkkinen told Varpu Sihvonen of NHL.com/fi (translated from Finnish to English).

Can Pulkkinen potentially start the season in the AHL?

Pulkkinen started at the U20 level last season with JYP, putting up some stellar numbers. After finishing the 2022-23 season with only four points in 43 games, he improved to 28 (11 G, 17 A) in only 28 games. His play earned him a good chunk of time with the senior squad, scoring twice and adding eight assists in 29 games.

A few weeks after being drafted, Pulkkinen signed his ELC with the Islanders. He'll likely return to play with JYP for the 2024-25 season, but he's not holding out against playing this season in North America.

"It is very likely that I will play in JYP's league team, but anything can happen here," Pulkkinen said. "The biggest deciding factor in where I play is theirs (the Islanders). Personally, I'm going into the season aiming to be able to make a result in the men's series and push myself properly in the league.

Whether it be in Finland or with the Bridgeport Islanders in the AHL, Pulkkinen is just trying to improve his play every single day so he's ready once he does get that call-up

"I want more versatility in my game," Pulkkinen says. "I try to take my skating a lot further and focus on the little things so that I can then play a faster game in a small rink. More power (skating) can still be had. It will help in the future."