SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Iowa Wild forward Teemu Pulkkinen has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Nov. 27, 2016.
Pulkkinen totaled five goals – including two game-winners – and two assists in four road games last week, helping the Wild earn seven of a possible eight points in the Central Division standings.
Pulkkinen began the week by taking a game-high seven shots and scoring the only goal in Iowa’s 1-0 overtime victory at Manitoba on Tuesday night. The next evening, Pulkkinen opened the scoring 48 seconds into the contest and was named the game’s first star as the Wild defeated the Moose, 3-1. On Saturday, Pulkkinen had a goal and an assist as Iowa erased a two-goal deficit and earned a point in a 3-2 overtime loss at Charlotte. And on Sunday, Pulkkinen scored twice more and chipped in another assist in the Wild’s 5-1 win over the Checkers.
In his fourth pro season in North America, Pulkkinen has registered eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in 13 games with Iowa in 2016-17, along with one goal in eight NHL contests with Minnesota. The 24-year-old native of Vantaa, Finland, was a First Team AHL All-Star in 2014-15, when he led the AHL with 34 goals and totaled 61 points in just 46 games with Grand Rapids. A member of the Griffins’ Calder Cup championship team in 2013, Pulkkinen has tallied 73 goals and 63 assists for 136 points in 132 regular-season games in the AHL, as well as 22 goals and 12 assists for 34 points in 40 postseason contests. He has also amassed 12 goals and nine assists in 78 NHL games with Minnesota and Detroit.
In recognition of his achievement, Pulkkinen will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Wild home game.
Congrats to @IAWild forward Teemu Pulkkinen (4gp; 5g,2a) who has been named the @CCMHockey/AHL Player of the Week→https://t.co/wivyyEocoW pic.twitter.com/ijvcyk4q5A
— AHL (@TheAHL) November 28, 2016
