Koivunen isn’t feeling the pressure after being acquired by the Penguins in the Guentzel trade

CRANBERRY, Pa. — Ville Koivunen may face high expectations for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 21-year-old forward was acquired in a high-profile trade on March 7 that sent forward Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith to the Carolina Hurricanes. Koivunen came to the Penguins along with forwards Vasily Ponomarev and Cruz Lucius, forward Michael Bunting and two picks in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Guentzel won a Stanley Cup championship with Pittsburgh as a rookie in 2017. He had 466 points (219 goals, 247 assists) in 503 regular-season games before the trade, mostly playing left wing on the starting line at center with Sidney Crosby.

Considered the first piece of the Penguins’ recovery, Koivunen would be within his rights to feel pressured. At this point, he doesn’t.

“No, I haven’t felt the pressure — at least this summer,” Koivunen said on July 6. “Maybe when the season starts, maybe then. But right now.”

Koivunen, from Oulu, Finland, was asleep when the trade became legal. A notice in the group chat broke the news.

“I was very shocked. ‘What’s going on now?’” said Koivunen, who was selected by the Hurricanes in the second round (No. 51) of the 2021 NHL Draft. “After an hour or two, I was very happy with what happened and being a part of this organization.”

Last season, Koivunen (6-foot, 172 pounds) had 56 points (22 goals, 34 assists) in 59 regular-season games with Karpat of the Liiga, Finland’s top professional hockey league, and added a -13 (five goals, eight. assists) in 12 postseason games. That was up from 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 52 regular season games in 2022-23.

Koivunen joined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League two games into last season and had one goal and one assist.

The experience of playing well in the AHL and in Finland was a big help, Koivunen said.

“It’s always difficult, of course,” Koivunen said. “Boys are strong and smart. You don’t make many mistakes. It’s fun.”

The Penguins are impressed with Koivunen’s hockey sense with limited AHL experience, said assistant general manager Jason Spezza.

“I think the game is at a very high level,” Spezza said. “I think he knows how to handle defenders with subtle moves. He is very dangerous on the power play, going downhill. … He can make plays at a fast pace. I think an important part of his development would be to just increase the speed of his skating, get stronger.

“The rank quickly shuts you down in the American (Hockey) League and the NHL (compared to Finland). So we will help him with that change. But with the hockey IQ, I think that’s the interesting part with us. “

If it were up to Koivunen, his career would continue in the NHL.

But waiting is part of the process. Like other aspects of the game, Koivunen said it’s something he understands.

“Yes, I want to play in the NHL,” said Koivunen. “Everyone here wants to play there. I have to work hard and play well. It will be a long road, but I will work hard.”