Pulkkinen has spent this season in the ECHL with Worcester rather than making the jump to Bridgeport, which is a step back from what the Islanders would have hoped after drafting him as an over-age player in 2024. Eight points in 38 Liiga games last year with limited ice time and no power play exposure were not encouraging, and his ECHL numbers – eight goals and 16 points in 27 games – are at least a more positive sign of production at the pro level in North America. The mobility and puck confidence that attracted New York remain his calling cards, but he needs to show more at a higher level before earning a longer look. An organizational depth piece for now. No fantasy value.

Pulkkinen, drafted as an overager in 2024, spent most of the 2024-25 season with JYP in Liiga, posting just eight points in 38 games. His impact was limited, seeing only the eighth most minutes among JYP defensemen and no power play time. His underlying metrics also disappointed, with a Corsi around 44%. After the Liiga season, he made a brief appearance in North America with the Bridgeport Islanders, where he played a minimal role and recorded one assist. Pulkkinen will aim to carve out a bigger role in 2025-26, whether in Europe or the AHL, and will need to improve his ice time and puck possession to earn a longer look.

Islanders second-round pick, Pulkkinen, was set to attend the team’s training camp. However, Pulkkinen has recently suffered a lower-body injury that may keep him from participating at all. If he is not healthy in time for training camp, his focus will shift to solidifying himself as a full-time professional in the upcoming season in Finland for JYP. Pulkkinen will be fun to keep an eye on this year and should provide some excitement for Islanders fans. The 6-foot-6 defenseman brings a lot of potential upside, but will need to recover fully from this injury to maximize his development this year.

Pulkkinen was drafted 54th overall to the NY Islanders.

Pulkkinen has impressed us more and more with each passing viewing, and we wouldn’t rank a D+1 this high if that weren’t the case. His style of play is as unique as his development trajectory; the hulking left-handed defenseman moves around the ice with shocking fluidity, which his handling skill can match. He’s composed under pressure – almost to a fault, as he can overestimate his ability to shield possession at times – and beyond comfortable with the puck on his stick. He has shown a level of offensive dare at both the WJC and in Liiga that complements his toolkit and creativity, and facilitates a 2nd pairing and PP2 projection. He uses his mobility and reach to match footwork when defending the rush, maintaining an increasingly consistent tight gap, and being able to close it aggressively and quickly.