A few hours after clearing waivers, Teemu Pulkkinen was traded to the Arizona Coyotes for future considerations. That generally means, nada.
The Wild's doing him a favor to move on after being stuck in Iowa since November.
Pulkkinen, 25, had one goal in nine games for Minnesota since being claimed off waivers from Detroit. He has a terrific shot, but he doesn't have the greatest wheels, isn't great away from the puck and doesn't kill penalies. Since he wasn't able to play a top-9 role for the Wild and isn't exactly molded to be a fourth-line player, he just didn't fit.
He had been stuck in Iowa, where he scored 18 goals and 18 assists in 47 games and bowed out of the AHL All-Star Game for some reason for Alex Tuch.
Even if Pulkkinen isn't an NHLer on at least this Wild roster, it is interesting that the Wild was willing to trade him away for probably nothing when Iowa's in a playoff race.
In other news, Tyler Graovac was recalled after Zac Dalpe was plucked off waivers today by Columbus. As I insinuated on the previous blog, Bruce Boudreau's reaction to me telling him Dalpe was claimed makes me think tonight's lineup is in flux. I saw Eric Staal and Erik Haula this morning and we know Martin Hanzal's on his way. I did not see Mikko Koivu.
