Ville Koivunen
Right Wing · Pittsburgh Penguins
2021 Draft, Rd 2 Pick 19 (#51) — Carolina Hurricanes
Current Season
GP
38
Goals
2
Assists
5
Points
7
+/-
-8
S%
5.9%
Career Stats
Contract
Cap Hit
$806K
Total Value
$2.42M
Expires
3 yrs · 2025-2026
Status
Then RFA
via PuckPedia
Recent Stories
Harrington drops his latest NHL power rankings with the season's closing weekend packed with unresolved drama. Teams claw for positioning while others dodge the lottery abyss. His authoritative take sorts the contenders from the pretenders in real time.
The Penguins continue shuffling their bottom-six puzzle by reassigning promising youngsters Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, moves that scream roster crunch as the playoff push intensifies. Koivunen, who cracked the opening night lineup alongside Crosby and Malkin, now heads back to the AHL just weeks later, while McGroarty returns from IR only to get the demotion treatment.
The Penguins finally crack the shootout code in a gritty 4-3 thriller over Ottawa, vaulting into second in the Metro and shaking off a mini-slump that's had GM Kyle Dubas on edge. Rakell and Karlsson light it up with three points apiece, but whispers from the Wilkes-Barre locker room point to young Koivunen pressing too hard amid high expectations. As Pittsburgh eyes the playoffs, figuring out the Finnish prospect's struggles could be the X-factor in their Cup push this spring.
Penguins star Evgeni Malkin lands on the day-to-day shelf with an upper-body injury that keeps him out of Tuesday's showdown against the Avalanche at PPG Paints Arena. The team recalls rookie Ville Koivunen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to fill the void, while whispers of a lingering shoulder issue from earlier this season hang in the air. At 39, Malkin carries 52 points in 50 games, but Pittsburgh's front office sweats every tweak with the playoffs looming and contract talks on ice.
Pittsburgh sends forward Ville Koivunen down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Penguins' AHL affiliate, as they tweak the lineup midseason. The young Finn flashed potential but needs more seasoning away from the NHL glare to stick long-term. Fenway suits eye this move as they balance prospect development with a Cup push.
The Penguins reassign Ville Koivunen to their AHL squad in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, clearing space up top for NHL vets. This kid's got the tools but Penguins brass wants him logging heavy minutes in the minors first. Sullivan's crew eyes depth as the stretch drive heats up.