Eliteprospects
Finland Joona Väisänen
#27 Western Michigan Univ. / NCAA - 25/26
1-time NCAA (Championship) Winner 1
1-time NCAA (NCHC) Champion 1
1-time USHL First All-Star Team 1
Date of Birth
Jul 29, 2004
Position
D
Age
21
Height
6'0" / 183 cm
Place of Birth
Espoo, FIN
Weight
176 lbs / 80 kg
Nation
Finland
Shoots
R
Youth Team
Blues
Contract
-
NHL Rights
Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins / Unsigned
Drafted
2024 round 6 #175 overall by Pittsburgh Penguins
Agency
PREMIUM

Väisänen has nearly every modern defenceman skill set: He activates, shifts the defence towards him before passing, sets up chances, uses space before shooting, and closes space off the rush early. With the puck, he’s a manipulator; he fakes one way to get the opponent to chase, then accelerates in the opposite direction. -EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide

Brother: Jere Väisänen

© Photo: Matt Schoen/MS Films

Use/Embed statistics

Joona Väisänen Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2019-20 Blues U16 Akatemia U16 SM-sarja Q 26* 2* 8* 10* 2* -* |
Blues U16 Akatemia U16 SM-sarja 14* 0* 3* 3* 10* -* |
2020-21 Kiekko-Espoo U18 Bl U18 Mestis 15* 2* 4* 6* 2* -* |
2021-22 Kiekko-Espoo U18 U18 SM-sarja 26* 4* 19* 23* 30* -* | Playoffs 7 0 1 1 4 -
Kiekko-Espoo U18 Ch U18 SM-sarja 14* 4* 9* 13* 20* -* |
Kiekko-Espoo U20 Ch U20 Mestis 4* 0* 1* 1* 2* -* |
Kiekko-Espoo U20 Ch U20 SM-sarja 1* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* |
Kiekko-Espoo U20 U20 SM-sarja 3* 0* 0* 0* 2* -1* |
2022-23 Kiekko-Espoo U20 U20 SM-sarja 44* 4* 24* 28* 18* -12* |
Finland U19 (all) International-Jr 4* 0* 4* 4* 0* 2* |
Finland U20 (all) International-Jr 4* 1* 2* 3* 2* 1* |
2023-24 Dubuque Fighting Saints USHL 53* 9* 31* 40* 30* 31* | Playoffs 11 1 2 3 0 -2
Finland U20 WJC-20 7* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |
Finland U20 (all) International-Jr 10* 1* 1* 2* 0* -* |
2024-25 Western Michigan Univ. NCAA 42* 4* 22* 26* 12* 24* |
2025-26 Western Michigan Univ. NCAA 7* 0* 6* 6* 2* 4* |

Joona Väisänen Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2016-17 Blues Selects QC Int PW 2* 2* 1* 3* 0* -* |

Joona Väisänen Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
International-Jr 2 18* 2* 7* 9* 0.50* 2* 3* | 0 * * * * * *
NCAA 2 49* 4* 28* 32* 0.65* 14* 28* | 0 * * * * * *
QC Int PW 1 2* 2* 1* 3* 1.50* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U16 SM-sarja 1 14* 0* 3* 3* 0.21* 10* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U16 SM-sarja Q 1 26* 2* 8* 10* 0.38* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U18 Mestis 1 15* 2* 4* 6* 0.40* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U18 SM-sarja 1 40* 8* 28* 36* 0.90* 50* -* | 1 7 0 * 1 * 1 * 0.14 * 4 * - *
U20 Mestis 1 4* 0* 1* 1* 0.25* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U20 SM-sarja 2 48* 4* 24* 28* 0.58* 20* -13* | 0 * * * * * *
USHL 1 53* 9* 31* 40* 0.75* 30* 31* | 1 11 1 * 2 * 3 * 0.27 * 0 * -2 *
WJC-20 1 7* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Joona Väisänen Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Player Biography and Trivia

Drafted 2023, 2 #24 overall by Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL Entry Draft

2024 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #99 by ISS Hockey

2024 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #234 by McKeen's Hockey

2024 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #83 by NHL Central Scouting