A collection of observations on the Red Wings newest prospect after a week of scrutiny at the WJSS in Plymouth
As far as Red Wings prospects were concerned, there was no more intriguing player at the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase than Finnish forward Jesse (pronounced more like yes-uh) Kiiskinen.
For most of the Detroit media, the WJSS allowed the first in-person glimpse at Kiiskinen. “He has good character,” Finland coach Lauri Mikkola told The Hockey News, when asked about the young winger, who wore the "C" as Finnish captain. “He is a good person and just a little bit leader in the locker room there. He has lots of giving for the team.”
Kiiskinen's game was more utilitarian than dazzling. He played third line minutes for most of the week, with time at the power play net front and on the penalty kill. His hard work and general responsibility made it easy to see how he'd endeared himself to Mikkola.
On the most recent episode of The Silky Mitten State, my co-host Connor Earegood and I discussed our first impressions of Kiiskinen. You can watch an excerpt of that conversation via the clip above, then tune into the full episode via Spotify or Apple Podcasts: