In a move that should surprise very few, the Minnesota Wild made use of the waiver wire today by claiming Detroit Red Wings forward Teemu Pulkkinen. The 24-year-old Finland native was the victim of Detroit’s logjam at the forward position and Minnesota is the gleeful recipient of their misfortune.
This move is a lifeline of sorts for the Wild organization. This past preseason was highlighted by guys failing to claim spots that were ripe for the taking. That lack of assertiveness left Minnesota in an awkward position. Either they could plug those holes with less than ideal skaters (Zac Dalpe) or forego crucial development time and force a young guy into a role he might not be ready for (Christoph Bertschy).