Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images The Detroit Red Wings are betting on a young, fast-rising Finnish forward to help fuel their rebuild. On Tuesday, the team announced it has signed 19-year-old Jesse Kiiskinen to a three-year, entry-level contract. A former third-round pick of the Nashville Predators, Kiiskinen is coming off a breakout season with HPK in Finland’s SM-Liiga and has quietly become one of Europe’s more intriguing under-20 prospects.
Detroit Red Wings sign Jesse Kiiskinen to NHL entry-level contract
Jesse Kiiskinen didn’t just hold his own in Finland’s top pro league this past season—he led the way for HPK. In 46 games, the right-shot winger posted 14 goals and a team-best 30 assists and 44 points. He also led the squad in shots (160), power-play points (19), and tied for the team lead in plus-minus (+6). Among all under-20 players in SM-Liiga, no one had more points.It wasn’t his first taste of pro hockey, either. He spent most of the 2023-24 season with the Lahti Pelicans, tallying 10 points in 38 games, while also lighting it up at the junior level with 21 points in just eight games for the Pelicans’ U20 team.Internationally, Kiiskinen has put together a strong résumé. He scored six goals in seven games for Finland at the 2025 World Junior Championship, helping the team take home silver. He’s also played at the U18 World Championship and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, collecting a bronze medal there in 2022.Originally drafted 68th overall by Nashville in 2023, Kiiskinen’s rights were acquired by Detroit in a recent prospect-focused deal. With his entry-level contract now in place, he’ll likely get his first taste of North American hockey this fall.This move fits Detroit’s recent pattern: adding young, skilled talent with upside and international seasoning. Kiiskinen has proven he can hang with men, contribute on the power play, and rise to the occasion on big stages. Now, the Red Wings will look to see how that translates on smaller ice. If his trajectory holds, he might not be far from making a push for NHL minutes.Also Read: Top NHL prospect Matthew Schaefer returns from injury ahead of 2025 draft