The Florida Panthers acquired defenseman Emil Pieniniemi from the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 13, 2026 for the rights to forward Oliver Okuliar.
Pieniniemi was selected by the Penguins in the third round (91st overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft. During his draft season he played 31 games for Kärpät’s team in the U20 SM-sarja, finishing with one goal and 12 assists, and he also made his Liiga debut for the organization.
He was chosen tenth overall by the Kingston Frontenacs in the CHL Import Draft a week later and then signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Pittsbugh on July 14, 2023.
The 2023-24 regular season saw Pieniniemi remain in Finland and appear in 38 top-flight Liiga games with Kärpät, where he put up two goals and four assists to along with a minus-two rating and ten penalty minutes. He also played four second-level games in Mestis with Kokkolan Hermes and produced one goal and one assist.
Pieniniemi played in ten of Kärpät 12 postseason games as the team won the league’s bronze medal after getting eliminated in the seminfinals by Pelicans.
Making the move to North America, Pieniniemi took part in the World Junior Summer Showcase before joining the Frontenacs for the 2024-25 OHL season. Running the Kingston power play, Pieniniemi scored ten goals and racked up 50 assists to finish the campaign with a tidy 60 points in 60 games.
He continued to excel during the OHL playoffs, lighting the lamp four times and contributing six assists in 11 games as the Frontenacs advanced to secound round, where they were eliminated in seven by the Barrie Colts.
On the international stage, Pieniniemi represented Finland at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship (five games, one assist) and the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship (seven games) before earning a silver medal at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, where he scored a goal against Germany and had an assist versus the United States in group play. He also found the back of the net in the gold medal game against the Americans.
Last season saw Pieniniemi join the professional ranks. He appeared in nine AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, recording a goal and two assists. and skated in 26 ECHL games with the Wheeling Nailers, where he registered six goals and five helpers.
The postseason saw Pieniniemi suit up for two Calder Cup playoff games with the Penguins and collect one assist. He led all Wheeling defensemen with eight points (1G/7A) while appearing in 15 of the Nailers’ 17 Kelly Cup playoff games.
Pieniniemi was one of eight defensemen at Florida’s recent development camp, where Panthers fans got their first look at the former Penguin. While he’s a smart, skilled player that has a lot of confidence in his offensive abilites, he doesn’t have the largest frame and isn’t overly physical, plus his skating still needs some work. That said, he is a prospect with a high-floor, who likely tops out as either a very good AHL defenseman or a serviceable, puck-moving third-pairing type in the NHL.
With Florida’s roster stacked at the top level and the likes of Marek Alscher, Mikulas Hovorka and Ludvig Jansson already getting their feet wet late last season, a full year with the Charlotte Checkers is the next step in Pieniniemi’s development.