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Teemu Pulkkinen leads the league in goals and in scoring, despite missing six games with the Griffins.

(MLive file photo)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Teemu Pulkkinen dealt with his return to Grand Rapids after a six-game stint with the Detroit Red Wings the way he has handled the entire season. Like an MVP candidate.

The right winger has seven goals and 14 points in eight games with the Griffins following his first extended stay with the Red Wings, when he scored his first NHL goal.

He's a strong candidate to become the Griffins' first MVP since Don MacLean in 2005-06. Despite missing six games, Pulkkinen leads the AHL in scoring with 53 points in 41 games, and his 27 goals is five more than his nearest competitor, Paul Thompson of Albany.

Coach Jeff Blashill is in his corner.

"Certainly we look at those individual honors as secondary to team success," Blashill said. "But I want our players to get any honors they deserve, and I can't imagine there too many players in the league making a bigger statement than Teemu Pulkkinen."

TEEMU PULKKINEN

How Pulkkinen stakes up against the league:

Goals: 1st (27)

Assists: 9th (26)

Points: 1st (53)

Power-play goals: T-1st (10)

Game-winning goals: 2nd (6)

Shots: 2nd (161)

Shooting percentage: 35th (16.8 percent)

Plus-Minus: N/A (minus-3)

At right is a look at how he compares with others. Pulkkinen leads or is tied for the league lead in three categories. His most glaring weakness is a minus-3 rating, which is out of the top 100.

The Griffins, who host San Antonio on Friday and Saturday, are currently third in the Midwest Division (25-17-4-1) and sixth in the Western Conference (55 points, one ahead of sliding to ninth).

Pulkkinen's top competition may come from a trio in Manchester, led by third-year pro Brian O'Neill. The right winger has 50 points in 42 games (he has missed four games with a hand injury) and a plus-minus of plus-20.

There's also Jordan Weal (12-31-43 in 46 games) and Nick Shore (20-22-42 in 38 games), a second-year pro who has been with the Los Angeles Kings since Jan. 17.

There are currently a couple goalies to consider, too. Magnus Hellberg with division leader Milwaukee has won 13 of 24 starts with a 1.94 goals against average (2nd) and .927 save percentage (7th). There's also Portland's Mike McKenna with 18 wins (4th) in 35 games with a 2.09 GAA (9th) and .933 save percentage (2nd). But he is up with the Arizona Coyotes.

Teemu Pulkkinen accepts congratulations from his Red Wings teammates after scoring his first NHL goal in January.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Pulkkinen has established his shot as one of the hardest in the league and, for someone who never met a shot he didn't like, his assist total is high. He has improved from 2013-14 when he led AHL rookies in goals (26), shots (175) and was first on the Griffins in points with 59 (31-28-59).

On the flipside, Pulkkinen's defense has been called into question at times, and it remains to be seen if he can find enough space in the NHL for his powerful shot.

Pulkkinen said he is aware of his statistics, but won't get caught up in them.

"Sure I do. I think every player knows how many goals they have," he said. "But I don't pay much attention to that. I know how the team is doing, and I just try and go out and enjoy each day because everyone knows in a couple months it will be summer, and then you don't play hockey."

At the time of his call-up, Pulkkinen had scored in eight consecutive games to tie a franchise record. It was also his second eight-point streak of the season (accomplished in late December, early January).

If he doesn't get called back up, the second-year pro has a shot at rarely-achieved numbers in Grand Rapids. At his current pace, he would score 43 goals, which would be third most and within reach of No. 2 Michel Picard, who had 46 in 1996-97. MacLean holds the Griffins record of 56 in 2005-06.

He also is on pace to finish with 87 points, which would be the most since MacLean's 88 in 05-06. Jeff Nelson had 89 points in 1996-97, while Picard holds the team record with 101 points, also in 96-97.

Pulkkinen has also been a part of a successful scoring line this season in Grand Rapids. He has played alongside center Andy Meile, who's sixth in points (13-29-42) and Mitch Callahan (16-22-38), who is 13th.



Pete Wallner covers sports for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at pwallner@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.