Young Wild Tracker: Pulkkinen racks up goals on the road
With signees and draft picks spread out across two continents and more than a dozen junior leagues, keeping up with the Minnesota Wild's various prospects can be a daunting task.
From managing streaming plans and tracking down cable channels, to learning a few new languages (Puhutko suomea?), keeping tabs on the next generation can be a full-time job.
FOX Sports North has you covered.
From Finland to Fargo, we're breaking down the stats and bringing you a comprehensive look at the Wild's prospect pipeline each and every week.
So, let's take a look at the week that was in the latest edition of the Young Wild Tracker.
FIRST STAR
Teemu Pulkkinen, RW, Iowa Wild (AHL)
OK, so maybe Pulkkinen isn't a prospect anymore. He's 24, has several years of pro seasoning, a season (ish) of NHL experience and an AHL scoring title. Raw, he is not. However, Pulkkinen's big week deserves a nod. The undersized Finn earned AHL Player of the Week honors after scoring five goals and notching two assists in four road games. He powered the Iowa Wild to a 5-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers with a three-point outburst (2 goals, 1 assist). A late waiver-wire add, Pulkkinen should get another shot in the NHL soon enough.
SECOND STAR
Gustav Olofsson, D, Iowa Wild (AHL)
Olofsson capped off his week in the AHL with a goal and an assist in that win over Charlotte, before appearing in just his third NHL game. The Wild recalled Olofsson for their game against Vancouver on Tuesday. He finished with a plus-1 rating in just under 12 minutes of ice time.
THIRD STAR
Luke Kunin, C, Wisconsin Badgers (NCAA)
The Badgers made it a game out in Denver, pushing the No. 2-ranked Pioneers to the brink Saturday after edging Colorado College on Friday. Kunin scored on the power play to tie things up in the second period, before assisting on Grant Besse's power play goal in the third. The high-scoring Pioneers came out on top 6-5, but the Badgers' power play remains a huge asset.
