Penguins defense prospect Emil Pieniniemi took a path last season that is relatively uncommon for players drafted out of Europe.
Pieniniemi, the Penguins' 2023 third-round pick, broke into the top Finnish league regularly for the first time in 2023-24, albeit in a limited role. He skated in 38 games for his club Kärpät, primarily as a seventh defenseman and occasionally in a third-pairing role, recording two goals, four assists and a minus-2 rating.
This past season was the last year in which Pieniniemi's entry-level contract could slide, ensuring that it would almost certainly be his last year before making the move to the AHL. And instead of returning to Finland for another year in a professional league, he opted to move to Canadian junior hockey and join the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs.
It was a move that could be seen as a step back -- it's a lower level of competition, playing largely against teenagers instead of grown men like in the top Finnish league. But for Pieniniemi, it was the right move to prepare him for the AHL.
Pieniniemi told me during the Penguins' development camp earlier this month that his move to the OHL was "a new step for me, for my life and moving to North America, knowing the style of hockey they play here. It's faster hockey with the smaller ice."
The North American style seemed to suit Pieniniemi. He produced at a point-per-game pace, with his 60 points (10 goals, 50 assists) in 60 games ranking sixth among OHL defensemen, first among Kingston defensemen and fourth on Kingston overall.
The Penguins liked the growth they saw from Pieniniemi over the course of the year, which went well beyond that offense.
"He had a lot of ice time, different roles for him and opportunity," director of player development Tom Kostopoulos said. "I think his game grew, defending the rush, his footwork, defensive skating, and then the opportunity he got in the power play and to kill penalties."
It's clear that the move benefitted Pieniniemi off the ice, too. When the Penguins drafted Pieniniemi two years ago, and even still last summer, it was clear that he wasn't too comfortable speaking English. He seemed to understand things OK, but either wasn't able to or wasn't confident enough to say much himself. But after a season in Canada, the difference in Pieniniemi's English was immediately clear just from chatting with him at camp.
"I grew a lot there, moving away from home," Pieniniemi told me of life away from the rink. "It was different, but it was pretty easy."
Pieniniemi will start this coming season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where the blue line is crowded. In addition to Pieniniemi, the left side alone includes Sebastian Aho, Daniel Laatsch and potentially any of Caleb Jones, Parker Wotherspoon, Ryan Shea, Alex Alexeyev and Owen Pickering if they don't make the NHL roster out of camp, as well as AHL-contracted signings David Breazeale and Tommy Budnick.
Pieniniemi knows that in order to have success in that first year, one of his biggest goals this summer needs to be adding strength to his 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame, "to get more power, so it's easier to play pro."
Defensemen generally take longer to develop, so at least a full year in the minors is a reasonable expectation for Pieniniemi. But his resume of both pro experience in Finland and North American experience in the OHL should give him an edge as he makes that transition.
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THE ASYLUM
Pieniniemi benefitted from move
Penguins defense prospect Emil Pieniniemi took a path last season that is relatively uncommon for players drafted out of Europe.
Pieniniemi, the Penguins' 2023 third-round pick, broke into the top Finnish league regularly for the first time in 2023-24, albeit in a limited role. He skated in 38 games for his club Kärpät, primarily as a seventh defenseman and occasionally in a third-pairing role, recording two goals, four assists and a minus-2 rating.
This past season was the last year in which Pieniniemi's entry-level contract could slide, ensuring that it would almost certainly be his last year before making the move to the AHL. And instead of returning to Finland for another year in a professional league, he opted to move to Canadian junior hockey and join the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs.
It was a move that could be seen as a step back -- it's a lower level of competition, playing largely against teenagers instead of grown men like in the top Finnish league. But for Pieniniemi, it was the right move to prepare him for the AHL.
Pieniniemi told me during the Penguins' development camp earlier this month that his move to the OHL was "a new step for me, for my life and moving to North America, knowing the style of hockey they play here. It's faster hockey with the smaller ice."
The North American style seemed to suit Pieniniemi. He produced at a point-per-game pace, with his 60 points (10 goals, 50 assists) in 60 games ranking sixth among OHL defensemen, first among Kingston defensemen and fourth on Kingston overall.
The Penguins liked the growth they saw from Pieniniemi over the course of the year, which went well beyond that offense.
"He had a lot of ice time, different roles for him and opportunity," director of player development Tom Kostopoulos said. "I think his game grew, defending the rush, his footwork, defensive skating, and then the opportunity he got in the power play and to kill penalties."
It's clear that the move benefitted Pieniniemi off the ice, too. When the Penguins drafted Pieniniemi two years ago, and even still last summer, it was clear that he wasn't too comfortable speaking English. He seemed to understand things OK, but either wasn't able to or wasn't confident enough to say much himself. But after a season in Canada, the difference in Pieniniemi's English was immediately clear just from chatting with him at camp.
"I grew a lot there, moving away from home," Pieniniemi told me of life away from the rink. "It was different, but it was pretty easy."
Pieniniemi will start this coming season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where the blue line is crowded. In addition to Pieniniemi, the left side alone includes Sebastian Aho, Daniel Laatsch and potentially any of Caleb Jones, Parker Wotherspoon, Ryan Shea, Alex Alexeyev and Owen Pickering if they don't make the NHL roster out of camp, as well as AHL-contracted signings David Breazeale and Tommy Budnick.
Pieniniemi knows that in order to have success in that first year, one of his biggest goals this summer needs to be adding strength to his 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame, "to get more power, so it's easier to play pro."
Defensemen generally take longer to develop, so at least a full year in the minors is a reasonable expectation for Pieniniemi. But his resume of both pro experience in Finland and North American experience in the OHL should give him an edge as he makes that transition.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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