Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Wings prospect Pulkkinen gets suspended four preseason games

Pulkkinen-Kostka

The NHL decided to suspend Detroit Red Wings prospect Teemu Pulkkinen four preseason games for boarding Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Michael Kostka during Tuesday’s preseason game.

As you can see, Brendan Shanahan emphasized that it was a boarding hit in which Kostka wasn’t facing Pulkkinen. The punishment was less severe because Kostka, 27, didn’t suffer an injury and Pulkkinen doesn’t have a suspension history.

Of course, Pulkkinen hasn’t had much of a chance to develop a rap sheet at the NHL level; that was the 21-year-old’s first shift.

Obviously, losing out on preseason games hurts a prospect like Pulkkinen more than it would a veteran player. This robs him of four potential opportunities to move up the totem pole in the eyes of management.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins