Emil Pieniniemi Commits to the Frontenacs
Kingston, Ontario – The Kingston Frontenacs Hockey Club is excited to announce the signing of Finnish defenceman Emil Pieniniemi to an OHL Scholarship and Development agreement.
Emil was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He was selected in the third round, 91st overall. The Frontenacs acquired his rights after selecting him in the 1st round, 10th overall during the 2023 CHL Import Draft.
“We are excited to have Emil signed and committed to playing with the Frontenacs.” said General Manager, Kory Cooper. “Emil will be a big addition to our team. He is a very good puck moving defenceman who will certainly help our powerplay but can also slot into any role in any situation. We are looking forward to helping Emil continue his development here in Kingston as he prepares for his NHL career.”
The 6’2”, 176 lbs. native of Kuopio, Finland joins the Frontenacs after spending most of the 2023-24 season with Kärpät of Liiga. He represented Finland at the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championships as an 18-year-old and is expected to return to their 2025 lineup for the International event. Emil has played for his country internationally each year since 2021-22, highlighted by a bronze medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup alongside new Frontenacs teammate Tuomas Uronen.
On July 14, 2023, Pieniniemi signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. They assigned him to Wilkes-Barre / Scranton for the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, but he did not appear in a game before their first-round elimination.
Scouting Report:
“Emil Pieniniemi is a 6-foot-2 blueliner who can log big minutes and contribute on both special teams. He’s a safeguard in the neutral zone, where he pinches aggressively and gaps up early, guiding opponents towards the boards before engaging physically. In the defensive end, he pins up opponents along the boards and has a solid box-out game.” – EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide
“For a 6-foot-2 defender, he does move quite well, and his strong mobility is the key to his success as a composed two-way player. He plays a generally mistake free game and is solid in coverage with good defensive zone awareness.” – McKeen’s Draft Guide 2023
“Listed as 6-foot-2 by NHL Central Scouting, Pieniniemi is a well-rounded, do-it-all defenseman with a game predicated on taking care of business in his own zone. He used his reach to his advantage, thinks the game well, and won’t shirk his defensive responsibilities. He has some budding offensive tools that could develop, but he still has a slick and efficient first pass to move the puck up ice.” – WBS Penguins vis Central Scouting
Emil will join his new teammates at training camp next week. Kingston Frontenacs training camp begins on Thursday, August 29 with scrimmages at 11 AM and again at 5 PM, and wraps up on Friday, August 30 with a scrimmage at 9 AM. All scrimmages are open to the public and take place at Slush Puppie Place. Information on tickets for the 2024-25 season can be found at www.kingstonfrontenacs.com.
