First things first, it’s “YOH-ehl.”

Not “JOHL.”

Pronunciations aside, Joel Blomqvist is still a ways away from making a name for himself at the NHL level.

But he’s about to take a big step forward next season.

Entering the first year of a three-year entry-level contract, the 21-year-old Finn is expected to open the 2023-24 campaign in North America for the first time in his career as a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the American Hockey League level.

Blomqvist could be the Pittsburgh Penguins’ goaltender of the future. But that future is likely several years away, especially after the goaltender of the present, Tristan Jarry, just signed a new five-year contract.

Much like his style in net, Blomqvist is meticulous and isn’t necessarily in a rush to get to the NHL.

“Kind of taking one season at a time and try to improve every day,” Blomqvist said. “Just play as good as I can. With that, the (NHL) will eventually come at me sooner or later.”

Goaltenders typically take longer to develop than forwards or defensemen, especially because most teams at any professional level have only two of them on the roster. And Blomqvist’s progression trajectory isn’t any different.

The Penguins selected Blomqvist (6-foot-2, 183 pounds) in the second round (No. 52 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft with the pick they acquired via the trade that sent would-be franchise goaltender Matt Murray to the Ottawa Senators during that draft.

And they are treating Blomqvist as if he could be their next franchise goaltender.

After he suffered a pair of concussions last season while serving as the starter for Karpat in Finland’s Liiga, Penguins management brought Blomqvist to Western Pennsylvania for a battery of medical tests in February to ensure he was fully recovered and there was no future risk to his long-term health.

“I’m feeling completely normal and healthy,” Blomqvist said during the Penguins’ recent development camp in Cranberry. “They told me that the injuries that I’ve had have been minor. So there should be no worries about the future. I feel healthy right now, so it’s not a concern for me.”

Perhaps his most pressing concern at the moment is making the necessary adjustments to playing in North America, specifically playing on a smaller rink.

North American rinks are 85 feet across, whereas most European rinks are 98.4 feet in width. Finnish rinks can range between 92 and 98 feet.

“The biggest thing is it’s a smaller rink (in North America),” said Blomqvist, who catches with his left hand. “Every play comes at you faster, so you have to be kind of more aware of the situations.

“When the puck is in the corners, here in (North America) it’s a lot closer to the net than in Finland. So you have to be a little bit more ready, ready for what’s going to happen next.”

Blomqvist has played one game in each of the past two seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on amateur tryout contracts. On April 14, he allowed four goals on 27 shots in a 4-0 road loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack.

“It’s a different game from Finland,” Blomqvist said. “It was fun. Just experience for the future.”

Even with limited looks at him in North America, management seems keen on Blomqvist’s future.

“We like his hockey sense for a goaltender,” Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins coach J.D. Forrest said. “He’s able to read plays and get there. He made some incredible backdoor saves for us. We let up some grade-A (scoring opportunities), that game he did play in Hartford. He’s big in net. He can react quick to some plays that you think he’s out, and, all of a sudden, he has a foot on it or a stick on it. And he’s got a nice calm demeanor where he doesn’t seem to get rattled at all. Everyone feels real confident with him in the net. If he lets one in, you don’t think there’s going to be any kind of falling off the cliff.

“His mentality is strong.”

That type of resolve is the name of the game Blomqvist is aiming to provide as he takes another step toward the NHL.

“Being consistent,” Blomqvist said. “Let the teammates and coach know what they get from me when they put me on the ice. That’s one area that I’ve been working on. Get the best out of you every day.”

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