| Round | Overall |
| 7 | 77 |
 |
 |
Right-hand shot
Pre-Draft Statistics
| Year | Team | League | GP | G | A | TP | PIM |
| 1968-69 | Oshawa | OHA | 54 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 50 |
Pre-Draft Notes
Grew up playing defense, but was converted to forward during his lone season in Oshawa. ... Attended Lockerby Composite School in Sudbury, where he played for the school's hockey team, before joining Oshawa.
Career Vitals
| First contract: | 1969 |
| Debut: | December 21, 1972 (N.Y. Islanders vs. Vancouver) |
| Final NHL game: | March 13, 1973 (N.Y. Islanders vs. Boston) |
| Retired: | 1974 |
| Stanley Cup: | Never won |
| Number worn: | 21 |
Career NHL Statistics
Teams: N.Y.
Islanders
Years: 1972-1973. Playoffs:
None
| Regular Season | |||||
| GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
| 1 year | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanley Cup Playoffs | |||||
| GP | G | A | TP | PIM | |
| 0 years | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Complete statistics available at NHL.com | |||||
Career Highlights
Also played defense, center and left wing during his pro career. ... Played on first New York Islanders team in franchise's inaugural 1972-73 season, making his NHL debut in N.Y. Islanders' Dec. 21, 1972, game vs. Vancouver after defenseman Jim Mair was injured in a game the previous night at Montreal, requiring Ed Westfall to take his spot and Pulkkinen to replace Westfall.
Transaction History
November 1970 -- Claimed by Toledo (IHL) off waivers from Port Huron. December 1970 -- Minor-league playing rights sold by Toledo (IHL) to Dayton. January 1971 -- Released by Dayton (IHL). August 31, 1972 -- NHL rights sold by St. Louis with Brian Lavender to N.Y. Islanders.
Significant Injuries
Missed end of 1969-70 season and 1970 playoffs with broken jaw.
Life Outside the NHL
Full Name: David Joel
John Pulkkinen
Other Post-Draft Teams: Kansas City (CHL); Port Huron, Toledo,
Dayton (IHL); New Haven, Baltimore, Syracuse (AHL)
Coaching Career: Served as
Sudbury (OHL) assistant coach in 1981-82 season but left team after
declining the head coach position for 1982-83.
Career Beyond Hockey: Became a
corrections officer, specializing in work with juvenile offenders, in
the Ontario Public Service after his brief coaching career. ... Also
competed in the most prominent amateur golf tournaments in Northern
Ontario after his retirement and was widely recognized as one of the
area's top golfers.
Miscellaneous:
| Selected by Dayton Aeros in 1972 WHA Draft -- the first-ever WHA Draft -- in February 1972. | Called up to NHL for first time on Dec. 21, 1972, to play in second half of back-to-back. | Played on line with Bob Nystrom and Gary Howatt for N.Y. Islanders in his final NHL game. | Retired from pro hockey 11 games into 1974-75 season because he had tired of lifestyle. |
| SNAPSHOT '69 | |
| Total Selected: | 84 |
| Forwards: | 58 |
| Defense: | 18 |
| Goaltenders: | 8 |
| Major Junior: | 68 |
| College Players: | 8 |
| Canadian: | 78 |
| Euro-Canadian: | 1 |
| American: | 4 |
| European: | 1 |
| Reached NHL: | 49 |
| Won Stanley Cup: | 10 |
| Hall of Fame: | 1 |
| All-Star Game: | 7 |
| Year-end All-Star: | 1 |
| Olympians: | 2 |
| Picks Traded: | 11 |
| 1969 PICKS BY TEAM | ||
| Boston | Chicago | Detroit |
| Los Angeles | Minnesota | Montreal |
| New York | Oakland | Philadelphia |
| Pittsburgh | St. Louis | Toronto |
OTHERS DRAFTED IN 1969