Many people have made good points about Pulkkinen. As a Red Wings Fan, I have probably seen him play the most. (several years).
Pulkkinen is a star AHL player. He puts up massive amounts of points, so why he has not made it in the NHL can be confusing. However some skills just do not transfer well to the NHL.
Pulkkinen's #1 skill is Shot Power. He has an Ovechkin power slapshot.
there is one problem though, he does not have Ovechkin level Accuracy. Missing the net on a PP, ringing it around the boards and out of the zone, is a PP killer. You pretty much have to hit the net for a rebound. Pulks shoots high, and misses often. He is also shooting too hard for people to tip his shot. And too high for people to tip his shot.
Pulkkinen is a small player. this is a problem for all small players. But if you are going to be small, you need a great talent to overcome that: Great Speed, Great PuckHandling, or Great Hockey IQ.
Pulkkinen is OK in these categories, but not good enough to not get hit. And when he gets hit, he is completely seperated from the puck. Pulkkinen basically cannot forecheck at all. It makes him an ineffective 4th liner.
the other main key is Pulkkinen doesn't make his decisions fast enough. NHL defenders are destroying him (deflecting all his shots, or forcing him into the corner etc). AHL defenders just are not good enough to stop pulks from winding up for a slapshot... which is decidedly deadly. NHL defenders can deflect it. It neutralizes his 1 superpower. Without, pulks is not an NHL player.
If NHL teams created 4th lines of small scoring forwards, than Pulks would be in the NHL, but sadly Size is an issue... its his main issue. And Quite frankly, if you want to play NHL hockey and be 5 foot something, you better think / skate or pass at an elite level.
Pulks is an AHL star, but he just can't transfer that to the NHL.