May 3: While “soon” may be a relative term, Pulli still ended up in a San Jose uniform. The Sharks made the contract official today, announcing a two-year contract for the Finn. PuckPedia reports Pulli’s deal carries a cap hit of $950,000.
March 19: Last month, it was reported that free agent defenseman Valtteri Pulli was receiving interest from several teams. Now that his season in Finland has ended, discussions on an NHL deal can pick up. Sasha Huttunen of Ilta Sanomat reports that the Sharks are one of the teams interested in the blueliner, going as far as to suggest that a contract already could be done. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek indicated (video link) the same, noting that the deal should be made official soon.
The 22-year-old just wrapped up his first full campaign at Finland’s top level, picking up a respectable 17 points in 53 games while logging nearly 18 minutes a night of playing time. It’s also worth noting that Pulli stands 6’6 which was sure to intrigue some scouts, especially since he has shown that he can hold his own in the SM-liiga.
It’s worth noting that Pulli has another year left on his contract with TPS. As a result, if Pulli doesn’t crack the NHL roster of whomever he signs with next season – the Sharks or otherwise – he will have to be loaned back to Finland for the 2023-24 campaign. He will still burn a year off his entry-level deal in that situation, one that will only be for two seasons due to his age.
Can he play net?