Paulsen played hockey at the University of Minnesota from 1938 to 1941 and was an All-American in 1940 at left wing alongside teammate John Mariucci.
He was team captain as a senior in 1940-1941, finishing his career as Gopher hockey's all-time leading scorer, a record that would hold for the next 15 years.
He coached the Roseau High School Rams varsity hockey team before joining the Navy during World War II.
Before recruiting or coaching, Paulsen oversaw the renovation of Demonstration Hall into an indoor rink with artificial ice-making capabilities.
MSU athletic director Ralph H. Young felt the hockey program's progress was inadequate and Paulsen resigned after the 1951 season.