Emil Pieniniemi Scores First Professional Goal With Wheeling

Emil Pieniniemi scored for the first time at the professional level in North America with a goal to give the Wheeling Nailers a 5-0 lead in a 5-0 win over the Trois-Rivieres Lions on Saturday. The 2023 third round pick debuted for Wheeling on New Year’s Eve after essentially sitting out the first half of the 2025-26 season, initially refusing to report to the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pieniniemi scored again in a 3-2 win over the Lions the next afternoon and now carries two goals in six ECHL games.

The Finnish blueliner finished fourth overall on the Kingston Frontenacs and sixth among defensemen in the OHL last season with 50 points in 60 games and led blueliners on Finland with three points in six games in a Silver Medal finish at the 2025 World Junior Championship. Pieniniemi hopes the goals in back-to-back games helps lead to consistent production in the ECHL and ultimately a call up opportunity to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Read This Week’s Full Prospect Report

Penguins Prospect Report: January 12, 2026

Zam Plante continued scoring in a breakout NCAA season, Emil Pieniniemi scored for the first time with the Wheeling Nailers, and Tristan Broz powered Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with four points in a 5-1 win on Friday. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton split with the Charlotte Checkers while the Wheeling Nailers swept the Trois-Rivieres Lions.

, Emil Pieniniemi, and Tristan Broz, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Wheeling each picked up important wins.

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