Red Wings Prospect Jesse Kiiskinen Joins Griffins for North American Debut

The Red Wings spent nearly two years building toward this moment. Jesse Kiiskinen's contractual obligation to HPK Hämeenlinna kept him in Finland through two SM-Liiga seasons, but with the Grand Rapids Griffins' regular-season calendar closing April 19, the 20-year-old right winger has reported to North America for the first time as a professional.

The timing was always part of Detroit's plan. Kiiskinen's three-year entry-level contract, signed on June 3, 2025, at a cap hit of $923,333 per season, couldn't activate in North America until HPK released him. That moment has arrived, and the Griffins now inherit a prospect who led all under-20 skaters in Finland's top league with 44 points in 2024-25. DobberProspects rated his age-19 season the second-best offensive campaign by a 19-year-old in the Liiga since 2009.

For Grand Rapids, the immediate question is how Kiiskinen fits into the lineup and whether his Finnish-ice production carries over to a North American surface. The Hockey News describes him as "shifty more than he's fast, using his puckhandling and skill to evade pressure," which matters when projecting the adjustment ahead. The standard AHL rink is narrower than European ice, compressing the time and space Kiiskinen used so effectively at HPK. The bigger variable is the forecheck: AHL opponents pursue harder and more physically than Liiga counterparts, and at 190 pounds, Kiiskinen's ability to protect pucks along the boards will be tested from his first shift.

His power play usage in Grand Rapids is the simplest projection. Kiiskinen led HPK in power play points with 19 in 2024-25, ranked second on the team in power play goals with seven, and generated 160-plus shots over 46 games at a pace exceeding 3.5 per game. That combination of shot volume and puck-distribution skill positions him as a natural candidate for the Griffins' top power play unit, likely on the right half-wall where he can hold pucks, draw pressure, and find shooting lanes to the net.

At even strength, a top-six role fits his profile as a puck carrier and corner worker who contributed three game-winning goals in 2024-25. He carried a 0.70-point-per-game pace into 2025-26 at HPK, posting nine goals and eight assists in 25 games before his reassignment. The early markers that will define a successful transition: whether he maintains that shot generation under heavier forecheck pressure, how effectively he wins puck battles on narrower boards, and whether his power play instincts transfer immediately or require a few games to calibrate to the North American pace.

The trade that put Kiiskinen in a Red Wings uniform has aged well for Detroit. In June 2024, the organization sent defenseman Andrew Gibson to Nashville and collected Kiiskinen's rights along with a second-round pick. Gibson has since produced seven points and a plus-three rating in 44 games with the Nashville-affiliated Milwaukee Admirals in 2025-26.

Kiiskinen's international pedigree rounds out the picture of what Grand Rapids is receiving. He led Finland with six goals in seven games at the 2025 World Junior Championship as the Finns captured silver, and was subsequently named to Finland's World Championship preliminary roster. HPK head coach Mikko Manner, credited with unlocking his offensive game by trusting him with heavy minutes and primary responsibilities, earned Kiiskinen's direct appreciation. "He gave me the keys," Kiiskinen said. "I got a lot of playing time and got to do what I do best."

The stretch run is short, but the exposure is real. Detroit has signaled that 2026-27 is when Kiiskinen competes for a full-time Griffins role, with an NHL push to follow. Grand Rapids' remaining games before April 19 are a preview, not a verdict.