A young forward should follow the path paved by his Pittsburgh Penguins teammate at the IIHF World Championship.

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins organization has seven players representing their home countries in the upcoming IIHF World Championship. The tournament is kicking off soon, and there will be plenty for Penguins fans to watch.

One player fans should have particular interest in is young forward Valtteri Puustinen, who will represent Finland for the second time in this tournament. In 2021, he played in two games and will surely see more ice time this year.

This year’s tournament is vital for Puustinen because it gives him an excellent opportunity to keep growing his skills and confidence. Puustinen needs to follow in the footsteps of another young Penguins forward who impressed in last year’s tournament and parlayed that into a hugely successful NHL season.

Drew O’Connor played 10 games with Team USA in 2023, scoring three goals and five assists for eight total points. The United States finished without a medal, but O’Connor showed a sneaky scoring ability and translated that to the 2023-24 NHL season.

In 79 games, O’Connor scored a career-high 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points. O’Connor’s appearance in the tournament greatly influenced the confidence and performance boost.

Puustinen is in a similar situation as O’Connor and should look to follow in the same footsteps. Coming off his first season with an extended look in the NHL, Puustinen should look to take a big step in his development on the international stage.

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