Soon to be 5th year pro left wing Jesse Joensuu(6) was originally picked in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft (#60 overall) by New York Islanders.
He played for three seasons, 186 regular and postseason games with their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers putting up 46 goals and 77 assists.
The towering 6’4″ 207 lbs. was projected to be a power forward but he plays more of a finesse style of hockey than a physical one despite his large-sized frame.
In 60 NHL games, all with the Isles, he has a somewhat disappointing 8 goals and 5 assists. His first big league goal came in his first game, which got him off to a good start.
For 2011/2012 he decided to leave his restricted free agent status on the table and play in the Swedish Elite League and play for HV71, where the 24-year old seemed to prosper some with 19 goals, 16 assists in 50 games.
What could be his greatest marker in his career so far though, just recently happened at the IIHF World Championship as his home country’s Team Finland advanced into the semifinals round after he got the game-wimmer with 8.8 seconds left in regulation. In the process, he knocked Team USA out of the medal round.
Will he return to North American hockey? Maybe after this feat of heroics but not for 2012/2013 as he’s already listed on the roster for HV71.
