Jesse Kiiskinen

The Detroit Red Wings acquired Finnish forward Jesse Kiiskinen and a second-round pick from the Nashville Predators ahead of last year’s draft, in a deal that sent shutdown defender Andrew Gibson back the other way. The Wings followed the deal up by flipping the second-round pick to the San Jose Sharks, as a sweetener to get the team to acquire NHL defenseman Jake Walman. Detroit acquired nothing of value in their ditching of Walman – and even then, their pre-draft swap of Kiiskinen and Gibson already appears to be paying dividends.

Kiiskinen was originally drafted by Nashville in the third-round of the 2023 NHL Draft, following a year where he ranked sixth in point-per-game scoring in Finland’s U20 league. He was a clear bet on frame – standing at six-foot-1 and 185-pounds in his draft year and playing a game centered around using a mix of speed and strength to create space. Kiiskinen played through his rookie season in the Liiga following his draft selection, but his early struggles quickly cast doubt on his upside. He scored just 10 points in 38 pro games – fewer points than most of his younger peers in the 2024 draft class. But Kiiskinen stepped up to the plate in Finland’s continental friendlies, and shined through a glimmer of hope with 16 points in seven games with the country’s U19 squad.

It was on the heels of those international performances that Nashville chose to trade the Finnish winger – surely hoping that they could bank on a few strong performances masking an otherwise quiet year. But, on top of their many blunders this year, Nashville was also forced to pay for their impatience with Kiiskinen – as he emerged as one of Finland’s top underage talents. The skillful winger broke out in full with 30 assists and 44 points in 46 Liiga games. That scoring stands as the most a U20 Liiga player has scored since Aleksi Heponiemi (46 points in 2018-19), Sebastian Aho (45 points, 2015-16), and Aleksander Barkov (48 points in 2012-13). In fact, 14 of the 15 names at the top of the Liiga’s U20 scoring leaderboards have gone on to play in the NHL. With this scoring output, Kiiskinen also joins peers like Teuvo Teravainen, Jani Nyman, Juuso Parssinen, and Kaapo Kakko.

Kiiskinen is still multiple steps – and an entry-level contract – away from contributing to the NHL; and the array of talent from his NHL peers ranges from superstar to healthy scratch. But there’s plenty to life from Kiiskinen’s season. He looked strong and in-control throughout the year, with quick feet and little hesitation to throw the body. He dominated possession through the neutral zone and on the outskirts of the offensive end, and used quick hands and cheeky passes to take advantage of tight lanes that opened in the defense. Kiiskinen also maintained his strong offense into international play, recording a team-leading six goals and seven points in seven games of the 2025 World Junior Championship. No other Finn managed more than three goals.

The Red Wings may not have a shiny new winger just yet, but they must be ecstatic about the upside Kiiskinen offers. He was a final cut for Finland’s World Championship squad, and will now entertain the possibility of returning to a top-end Liiga role or moving on to the AHL next season. If he pursues the latter, he’ll undoubtedly be following in the footsteps of top Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen – who managed 56 points in 63 AHL games this year after scoring as many in 59 Liiga games last year. It’s a path that’s been trailed already, and one that could lead Kiiskinen to a quick NHL debut once he makes the decision to come over. While it’s certainly comparing apples to oranges, it’s hard not to be excited about that outcome – especially after acquiring it for a stout defender who scored just 24 points in 54 OHL games this season.

Photo courtesy of David Reginek-Imagn Images.