One year ago, it seemed like Ville Pokka was finally ready to make the leap to the NHL. When Chicago acquired him in a 2014 trade, it helped soften the blow of losing Nick Leddy, because the belief was that the Hawks had acquired a defensive prospect with a similar ceiling as Leddy. Three years later, though, Pokka still hasn’t appeared in an NHL game and, at the age of 23, is in danger of becoming an afterthought in the organization.
Key Info
Position: Defenseman
Birth date: June 3, 1994
Acquired via: Trade with New York Islanders (Oct.