NY Islanders second round pick D Jesse Pulkkinen inks entry-level contract

According to multiple reports, the New York Islanders signed 2024 second-round pick (54th overall) Jesse Pulkkinen to a three-year entry-level contract on Monday. The Finnish defenseman played last season for JYP Jyväskylä in the Liiga, Finland's top league, scoring two goals and six assists in 29 games. He also represented Finland at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, scoring a goal and adding two assists, and the Fins finished 4th in the tournament.

Pulkkinen went undrafted in the 2023 NHL Draft, leading to the 6'6 defenseman being ranked among the top blue liners and "overagers" at the 2024 NHL Draft in June. His size, lateral movement, and ability to beat defenders one-on-one stand out. He's a puck-moving defenseman who skates confidently as he pushes play up the ice and into the offensive zone.

He moved up to Liiga after a brief stint in second-tier Mestis (2G, 2A in 6GP) this season, which indicates that his development is on an upward trajectory and picking up momentum. With JYP’s junior club, Pulkkinen tallied 17 goals and 11 assists in just 18 games, showing that his game had progressed beyond the competition at that level.

According to Puckpedia, the 19-year-old will earn a $775k NHL salary in years 1 and 2 of the entry-level contract with a $97.5k signing bonus and $102.5k games played bonus. In year three, the NHL salary goes up to $800K. The cap hit AAV is the $881K. He'll be a restricted free agent after the 2026-27 season at age 22.

Pulkkinen is the latest promising young defenseman added to the Islanders organization, which now includes 2022 second round pick Calle Odelius, who played last season in Sweden and 2022 fourth round selection Isaiah George who helped the London Knight reach the Memorial Cup Finals this year in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).