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Pittsburgh Penguins
JoonaVaisanen
LWAge: 23196 CM91 KGFIN FIN
7PNHLe
Joona Vaisanen
NHLNHL Draft2021, NYR (106th overall)4th round, 10th pick
THLTHL Draft2024, PIT (179th overall)6th round, 19th pick

Projected potential

Bio

Playmaking forward developing overseas for TPS in the Finnish League. Big bodied forward who utilizes his size and strength.

PNHLe

Projected potential: 72025-26 · AHL · Hartford Wolf Pack

What is PNHLe?

PNHLe is an offensive stat that is used to project a player’s point potential at the NHL level and is meant to standardize a variety of leagues so that prospects can be compared from one league with another.

PNHLe attempts to equalize all leagues, age and positions so that the offensive potential of a prospect can easily be compared with others, while also projecting future NHL point potential in the prime years of a player.

The problem with NHLe

The premise of the NHLe stat is certainly a great idea. If a player jumps directly from one league to the NHL there should be some precedent set by historical values that would indicate how many points that player should project to having in a full NHL season. However, it always bothered me that NHLe never took into account that younger players in the same league would always have a massive disadvantage compared to those that have more experience and are physically more mature in the same league. NHLe only looks at the present to predict how many points in one league are equated at the NHL level.

NHL Certainty
4.0
40% odds
Odds of becoming a full-time NHL player (10.0 = 100%). Draft guideline is a starting point and should rise as the prospect proves himself.
Upside
6.0
 
Best-case offensive upside (peak season points potential). Forwards: 8.0 ≈ 80 points. Defense and goalie scales differ.

Scouting Feed

Vaisanen was acquired by the Boston Bruins as part of the trade package for goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.

Vaisanen played the 2024-25 season on loan with Ilves in the Finnish league, after signing his three-year ELC with the Rangers prior to the season. In 48 games played, he posted nine points and a minus-nine rating. Nothing has been announced as of yet regarding the organization’s plans for the big Finnish winger, as to whether or not he will remain overseas for 2025-26.

Vaisanen, signed earlier this year to his entry-level contract with New York, will be playing during the 2024-25 season on loan with Tampereen Ilves of the Finnish Elite League. The big-bodied winger will continue to hone his craft in his native Finland, and presumably, the organization will look to ease him into a role with the Hartford Wolf Pack heading into the 2025-26 season. After experiencing difficulty with numerous European prospects in recent years, who have struggled to acclimate to pro hockey in North America, it seems that the Rangers may be looking to try a modified approach with some of their recent draftees. Vaisanen, as with all mid-round draft picks, will need plenty of development time in the hopes of eventually landing an NHL role.

The right shot Finn made the rounds in 2022-23, after being selected by the Rangers with the 106th pick in the 2021 draft. Last season, he appeared in games with TPS of the Finnish league, Liiga, as well as in CHL competition. He also appeared for the Finland U20 team in international competition, and with the TPS U20 team. The largest slate of games that he appeared in were for TPS in Liiga play, where he posted five points in 47 games played, and zero points in three playoff games. Vaisanen, listed currently at 6-5, and 194 pounds, will need to continue to work his game and adding some additional muscle onto his frame, as he looks to earn an ELC with the Rangers at some point down the road. It appears that Vaisanen has added roughly 17 pounds of muscle post-draft, an encouraging sign, to be sure. The big winger will return to TPS (Liiga) for 2023-24.

Väisänen has good stickhandling skills, passing ability and vision. He has a deceptive wrist shot and likes to walk into the slot to release it. He also takes a great deal of faceoffs for a winger and has played the point on the TPS power play. Look for Vaisanen to stay overseas in his native Finland for two to three more seasons to continue to develop his game prior to heading over to play hockey in the States.



Career Stats
SeasonTypeLeagueTeamGPGAP+/-PIMPPGSHGSOG
2017-18RegularU16 MestisHKKJ U161517264318
2017-18PlayoffsU16 MestisHKKJ U1620222
2018-19RegularU18 SM-sarjaKiekko-Vantaa U18110112
2018-19RegularU16 SM-sarjaJokerit/Viikingit U161717122938
2018-19RegularU18 MestisViikingit U1833472
2019-20RegularU18 SM-sarjaTPS U184418213928
2020-21RegularU20 SM-sarjaTPS U2027921301334
2020-21RegularU18 SM-sarjaTPS U1810110
2020-21RegularWJC-18Finland U18501124
2020-21PlayoffsU20 SM-sarjaTPS U201000-114
2021-22RegularLiigaTPS32145-38
2021-22RegularChampions HLTPS6000-30
2021-22RegularU20 SM-sarjaTPS U201781220218
2021-22RegularWJC-20Finland U20711210
2021-22PlayoffsLiigaTPS100000
2021-22PlayoffsU20 SM-sarjaTPS U20621302
2022-23RegularLiigaTPS47415-48
2022-23RegularChampions HLTPS600000
2022-23RegularU20 SM-sarjaTPS U201000-10
2022-23RegularWJC-20Finland U20511222
2022-23PlayoffsLiigaTPS300000
2022-23PlayoffsU20 SM-sarjaTPS U20621322
2023-24RegularLiigaTPS589514-916
2023-24RegularAHLHartford Wolf Pack300002
2023-24PlayoffsLiigaTPS9134-20
2023-24PlayoffsAHLHartford Wolf Pack100000
2024-25RegularLiigaIlves48549-912
2024-25RegularChampions HLIlves401102
2024-25PlayoffsLiigaIlves500000
2025-26RegularAHLHartford Wolf Pack51314-120