Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings Prospect: ‘Haven’t Played My Best Yet’
Kiiskinen leading Finns in goals and points
On paper, the evidence is suggesting that Detroit Red Wings prospect Jesse Kiiskinen is enjoying a strong IIHF World Junior Championship for Finland.
He’s leading the Finns in goals (four) and points (five).
Kiiskinen, though, is summarily unimpressed with his performance.
“I don’t really know,” Kiiskinen told Finnish website Ilta-Sanomat. “I haven’t played my best yet.
“Fortunately, I have been able to help the team by scoring goals.”
🚨Take a moment for the bear hug celly! 🤗 Jesse Kiiskinen takes the lead early! #FINSVK #WorldJuniors #IIHF @leijonat pic.twitter.com/Ho9SCsV9t9
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) January 2, 2025
The winger Detroit was acquiring last summer from the Nashville Predators in a deal for defenseman Andrew Gibson, Kiiskinen and the Finns are facing Sweden and Red Wings defense prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka in Saturday’s semifinals.
Kiiskinen was playing a significant role in getting Finland to this stage. In their 5-3 quarter-final win over Slovakia, Kiiskinen would score the game’s opening goal just 1:10 into the contest. He would then set up Jesse Nurmi to make it 2-0 before the game was four minutes old.
“This was my best game in this tournament,” Kiiskinen acknowledged.
Turnover By Red Wings Prospect Led To Slovak Goal
At the same time, Kiiskinen was admitting to a costly error. His turnover would be leading directly to a goal by the Slovaks’ Dalibor Dvorsky with four minues to play. That was narrowing Finland’s lead to 4-3.
2P 03.57: 🇫🇮 2-0 🇱🇻
Jesse Kiiskinen clips Linards Feldbergs in the back of the head while screening mid-play, causing Feldbergs' mask to come off and play to stop. 13-10 the shots in this frame.#hockey #jääkiekko #finland #suomi #leijonat #nuoretleijonat #worldjuniors #wjc pic.twitter.com/3my57uINgx
— Simo Frigolé (@kettu0_) December 31, 2024
“I thought in my head, what is going on here? Kiiskinen said. “I made a bad decision with the puck, the opponent then threw the puck at the goal, and from there it was chipped in. That’s when I got a little nervous.
“After 15 seconds of feeling bad, I was already confident that the guys would get the job done.”
Nurmi would net an empty-net goal to clinch victory for the Finns.
Kiiskinen, 19, would finish with a solitary shot on goal and a plus-one rating. His 13:03 of ice time was ranking ninth among Finnish forwards.
