Tag Archives: Jesse Puljujarvi

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BREAKING: Connor McDavid WANTS Jesse Puljujarvi on the Oilers According to NHL Analyst

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Contrary to what’s been reported for three or four years by the the Edmonton media, former NHLer turned analyst Anthony Stewart said Connor McDavid WANTS Jesse Puljujarvi on the Edmonton Oilers this year. Stewart also went on to choose Puljujarvi as his breakout candidate for 2022/23 and if all the dominoes fall right, he could score as many as 28 goals.

Check out the clip below and if it says it’s sensitive content, don’t worry. I’m not trolling, there’s an actual video of Stewart sitting right beside Elliotte Friedman making his claim. A bold one some might say.

BLH’s Thoughts: My favorite response to his coming to light is “Anthony Stewart, Edmonton Oilers insiderrr…” as if that means anything. I mean, is there not a world where Stewart or somebody he knows might train with Connor in the summer or attend the Biosteel camp with? Plus we can’t forget about all those glowing reports Bob Staffer’s been getting on Puljujarvi going back to the captain’s skates…

The fact of the matter is, the Edmonton Oilers are a better team with Jesse Puljujarvi than without and even in the event that JP really wants off this team, it’s in his best interests to play really well so that Ken Holland can get the price he wants and at the moment, there are no better true RWs on this team than Jesse. Not Kailer, certainly not Virtanen, Derek Ryan or even Xavier Bourgault. Hyman and Foegele are LWs and the club is better off playing those two in their natural spots. 

Lastly, if Puljujarvi were on the verge of being traded or there was something on the horizon, Kurt Leavins would’ve put something in his latest blog or Bob Stauffer would’ve dropped a hint on his show. I am VERY curious to know if this bit from Stewart gets talked about on Edmonton radio tomorrow though… 

My one concern is that Holland panics when he’s forced to ice a 21-man roster to start the year. However, I think he’s a smart and savvy GM though and he’s got a good team around him to help him with this decision and I don’t see him going against Connor’s wishes at this point in time. I could definitely envision Holland meeting with his captain around the deadline to discuss an upgrade to the roster that might include the Finnish winger heading out of town, mind you. 

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Edmonton Oilers Talk: All Aboard the Jesse Puljujarvi Bandwagon

ALL ABOARD!!! Those with tickets for the Jesse Puljujarvi Bandwagon are now permitted to board the craft. There will be no meal on this journey but plenty of salted crow will be available.

We’ve come a long way since former Edmonton Oilers Finnish legend Esa Tikkanen said this,

“Puljujärvi never really had what it takes to make it in Oilers. He is a very skilled player but in Edmonton you just need to have something more.”

So, does Jesse all of a sudden have something more or did he always have it? The irony, at 22, both Tikkanen and Puljujarvi arrived on the NHL scene.

Well add him to a growing list of hockey pundits and former NHL players who thought Jesse Puljujarvi didn’t have what it takes to be a player in the best hockey league in the world. I talked to folks who were connected to some very key people in the SM-Liiga that thought Pulju was making a mistake going home and that if he didn’t hurry up and get back to Edmonton, his career would be over.

What you’re seeing now is what the entire scouting fraternity was seeing back in 2015 and 2016. He was doing this to men in Finland for Karpat as a 16 and 17-year-old. He was dominating like this as an 18-year-old in Bakersfield for the Condors, then as a 19-year-old and as a 20-year-old in the AHL.

He showed flashes for the Oilers previously but he simply wasn’t strong enough physically or mentally yet, which would’ve been fine but the management team sold him a bill of goods and then screwed him over. So he left.

The vitriol from the local media, current and former players, and the fans was disgusting and embarrassing. There was a young man making a very difficult decision and getting lambasted for it publicly by anybody with a platform, but who’s had the last laugh now?

Last night’s game against Winnipeg was one helluva game, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t express that I thought the Oilers were extremely lucky to come away with the two points. Yes, Edmonton’s first line was one of the most dominating lines I’ve seen since Lemieux-Francis-Jagr, but that’s about it. The Jets were all over the Oilers in periods one and three, Edmonton won the second and the last few minutes of the third and that was against a Winnipeg team who was on the back-half of a b2b. How will they look with some rest in a couple of days?

If I told you Zack Kassian had five hits last night, would you believe me?

Speaking of Kass, his demotion couldn’t have worked out any better, eh? Once he was united with Kyle Turris and James Neal it was like a light bulb went off in all of their heads. I’d like to see that combination of players get another go.

Ethan Bear and Darnell Nurse had nearly 70% of the shot-share when they were on the ice… That’s McDavid-esque.

Has Edmonton played a game where they’ve allowed less than 30 shots yet and is Mikko Koskinen better when he faces more shot or less? Was it Cujo who got better with more action?

I keep hearing that Adam Larsson can’t move the puck, but has it occurred to anybody that in order for him to move it to a teammate, the pass receiver needs to be in a open position or else the puck will go up the boards into a 50/50? I’d be willing to bet that if you went and watched the game again, you’d see every one of the Oilers d-men sending pucks up the boards, off the glass, and flipping them into the neutral zone at one point or another.

Last night, I saw an engaged Larsson. He was jumping into the play and grinding Jets into the boards, blocking shots (team leader on the night again), and being a warrior. Exactly what the team needs more of.

Everybody wants him out of the lineup to make room for Evan Bouchard. Look, I’d love to see what Uncle Evan can do, but I can’t see Coach Tippett taking out a player who is a source of testosterous inspiration for his teammates let alone a vet and a member of the leadership core. In addition to that, Tyson Barrie was removed from the first-unit PP and Bob Stauffer and Rob Brown were saying in the post-game wrap-up that maybe he’s someone that could sit… That makes more sense to me and now that Tyler Ennis has been waived, there’s a sense that Bouchard could get into the lineup.

For shits and giggles, count how many times someone on Edmonton sports talk radio uses the phrase “straight lines” in reference to Pulju’s game now…

BLH’s Three Stars:

  1. Jesse Puljujarvi – He could’ve had a hat-trick but settled for an assist and six shots on net. He was an absolute force in every facet of the game that the Jets simply had no answer for and I suspect this will be a theme we’re likely to see repeated on numerous occasions this year. Best 5v5 fancies of any forward on the team last night and nearly sent 6’4″ 220lb Derek Forbot over the top rope to boot.
  2. Connor McDavid – Was that the quietest three points he’s put up in his career? He was magical each time he set skate onto the ice up until the final second. Do you think he knew he was making that pass with under two seconds remaining? Very Jordan-esque, no?
  3. Darnell Nurse – It’s been some time but I can confidently say that Nurse has arrived. He’s been very solid more nights than not this season so far and when Coach Tippett threw him on the first unit PP, everything calmed down. I felt relieved almost to see him on it. I’m very pleased with how Nurse is trending right now. He’s improved greatly.

Next up, one more round with the Jets and then back to Edmonton for a pair against the Maple Leafs!

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Edmonton Oilers Talk: Jesse Puljujarvi Has One NHL Insider Feeling “Super Excited”!

Yesterday morning, former 1st overall pick, GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and NHL Agent Brian Lawton was on Oilers Now (630CHED) with Bob Stauffer. During his appearance, Stauffer asked him what the realistic course of action was in terms of the deployment of Jesse Puljujarvi and this is what Lawton had to say,

“He’s going to get some freshness in terms of a new manager and a new coach and I think that’s really going to help him. He really went over and worked on his game, I think that’s fantastic. The whole move that he went through probably didn’t feel great for the club, but having been there in that position, I think it has the potential to be really great for Jesse. 

The analysis on him is that the hockey sense maybe isn’t as great as some people had thought or hoped. That could be true, but there’s a lot to be said for confidence in the National Hockey League, particularly when you’re a high pick and this I know from having been there.

I was drafted the same year as Steve Yzerman and I can remember playing those guys in exhibition. I played all of the time and had three or four points in a game and Stevie maybe had gotten an assist, got beat up a little bit. Their team wasn’t very good and we came back and played them in the regular season and I remember at one point he (Yzerman) had like 37 goals and I had like ten. 

I attribute a lot of that to opportunity and confidence. In my case, not comparing myself to Stevie, he was a hundred times better that me, but I understand what Jesse potentially was dealing with when it didn’t come together maybe as quickly as people would’ve wanted. 

So going back to Europe and having a chance to build that confidence up from the ground, feel really good about your game. The way he played in the Finnish league was spectacular. I’m very excited to see how he does, what he does, how Dave Tippett handles him, how Ken Holland speaks to him, and see if he can change the narrative about what’s really just the first inning in a what hopefully is a long career. I’m super excited for Jesse!

Fun Fact: Brian Lawton wore #98 for Team USA during the 1984 Canada Cup.

Do you know anybody else who wears that number?

Stauffer followed that up with a question regarding where Lawton thinks Puljujarvi would slot into the Edmonton Oilers lineup.

I think that’s going to be a “feel” decision for Dave Tippett and the coaching staff when they get him in there and see how he fits in. If he looks at all like he’s going to need another step coming back, but I think you can comforably play him with a third center in Kyle Turris. That’s a guy who has a proven touch in this league that might make it easier for him (Puljujarvi) to acclimatize himself back onto the team.

He doesn’t have to start in a top-six role. When you get picked 4th overall, certainly in the top 5,6,7 players, teams are generally looking at you as a top-six forward or a top-four D. In the end, that’s just what teams are looking for, but that doesn’t mean that’s where you’ll end up. 

I think it will be fine to start him in a third line role. I think it would be incredibly detrimental if he only ends up on the fourth line, personally.

Aside from the obvious injury or trade, I can’t see any scenario where Puljujarvi doesn’t start the 2020-21 NHL season on the 3rd line with Kyle Turris as his center. Now, I don’t believe the coaching staff has to treat Jesse like he’s some fragile piece of china, but I’m sure they’ll bring him along at the proper pace and give him an extra shift or game if he needs it should there be a bumpy transition off the bat.

What Pulju will need to show is that he’s matured since he was last in Edmonton. In the Finnish media, he’s saying all the right things, but we’ve got to see if he can bring the young man, who’s part of the leadership group in Karpat, to an Oilers club that could really use some bottom-six scoring.

So, since Jason Bonsignore isn’t available, there’s one person who we should be listening to, and that’s probably Lawton since he’s gone through the exact same ups and downs that Puljujarvi has, save for going overseas and spending a season plus with a European club and then returning to the NHL. He can speak to everything from a first-hand experience point-of-view.

Our hope for Jesse being that he can carve out a much more successful career in North America than Lawton did.

It’s a bit of a breath of fresh air to listen to NHL pundits actually speak positively about Jesse. Every time you go around a corner in Edmonton there’s a local journalist slagging The Grinnin’ Finn in one way or another.

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Edmonton Oilers Talk: Top Three Breakout Candidates

If the 2020-21 NHL season finally gets the green light, the Edmonton Oilers have a plethora of young stars, bounceback candidates, and under-the-radar players that could break out and assert their position in the league. Here are the three most likely from the Oilers,

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Jesse Puljujarvi

I think it’s probably a bit obvious, maybe too obvious, to predict that Edmonton’s 4th overall pick in 2016, Jesse Puljujarvi, is due for a breakout.

The big Finn who never stops smiling can feel the ultimate sense of relief knowing that he won’t be coming back to Todd McLellan, Ken Hitchcock, or Peter Chiarelli anymore and that he’s in good hands with Coach Tippett and GM Ken Holland. Both veteran NHL men have put over a year into building a rapport with Puljujarvi and attempting to earn his trust so that he would feel comfortable enough to return and give the Oilers one more shot.

After leaving Edmonton and returning to Oulu Karpat, Pulju racked up 65 points in 71 games with nearly half of those being goals (31). This number is still rising as he hasn’t left the Finnish club as of yet.

When he’s inserted into the Oilers lineup, the expectations are that he’ll start on the 3rd line with long-time NHLers Kyle Turris (a former 3rd overall pick in 2007) and Tyler Ennis. He’ll be getting the kind of linemates he should’ve had all along in Edmonton in his first three seasons, skaters who have the skill to play with him, and he’ll be able to provide some muscle on the walls in addition to being able to open up ice for Turris and Ennis.

Maybe most importantly, he’ll be playing with a couple of gentlemen who are willing to be on the same line as him.

I also expect Jesse to get some time on the 2nd unit PP as well as some TOI on the penalty kill. It can’t be said as to how much, but I believe Coach Tippett will at least give it a go.

It’s tough to predict what kind of production he could bring with the season unlikely to be 82-games long, but just to save time, IF there was a full season, a goal of 15 ginos and 15 apples is not a stretch for me. In fact, 20 goals (or the prorated equivalent of) is well within reach for Puljujarvi.

Caleb Jones

When Caleb Jones and Ethan Bear were running the show in Bakersfield, it might shock you to know, but it was Jones who was the better defender at that level (in my opinion). His playing style at that level was similar to that of former Edmonton Oilers Andrej Sekera. The young American was on Bakersfield’s top pair and I’d describe him as a smooth operator who could skate, pass, get the puck on net, lug it down the ice, and play sound defense. In addition to all of that, he played both his strong side and his weak side, and very well I might add.

Now, last year was a bit of a revelation for almost everyone with regards to the former Portland Winterhawk. We were all watching Ethan Bear have this outstanding season and then, as they do in Edmonton, injuries happened and Jones was forced to play 20-minutes a game for a few nights. He tackled that challenge admirably and that is what is leading many to predict that he’s ready for 2nd-pairing TOI, including me.

Ideally, I’d love to see him start on the 3rd pairing and work his way up for one more year but as they say, only the player can tell you if he’s ready. If CJ is good to go, they get that boy up on the 2nd pair and let him work his magic, baby!

Fact check time. We’re five years into this investment and just starting to have some dividends paid out. I have a great feeling that Jones will have a really solid prorated 20-25pt campaign in 2020-21, but I’m not 100% certain he’ll be an Oiler long-term with Broberg and Dmitri Samorukov really coming on and an expansion draft on the horizon.

Evan Bouchard

What more has to be said about Old Man Bouchard?

There seems to be a faction of the Edmonton Oilers scouting staff or management that feel Bouchard lacks a certain “sense of urgency” in his game, or at least that’s the impression I get when I listen to Ryan Rishaug talk about him on the radio.

One question though, have you ever noticed Dougie Hamilton’s “sense of urgency”? What about Larry Murphy’s or Nicklas Lidstrom’s?

Some players play the game in a rocking chair and let the game come to them. Evan Bouchard, I believe, is one of them. We’ve heard Holland and others say that he picked up some bad habits in Junior because he played so much, he had to learn how to conserve energy, and they wanted him to go all-out every shift, right? It sounds similar to when the Oilers tried to make Nail Yakupov a 200ft winger…

The fact of the matter is, Bouchard can play Ryan Suter-like minutes and I reckon he will once he’s a full-time NHLer. Then nobody will be complaining about how he lacks a certain intensity on the ice. When he’s ripping passes to a breaking McDavid or Draisaitl and bombing clappers from the point ala Al MacInnis, you won’t hear about how he should dig in more along the boards or move the puck faster. He was the team’s best passer at age 18… That hasn’t changed.

Bouchard is so good that they need to work to his strengths and supplement him with the most suitable d-partner in order to facilitate them. If the Oilers do that, they could have themselves the first Calder Trophy winner in franchise history. He’s that good offensively and we know, point production is how you get your name on the ballot.

You’re probably wondering how he’s going to be one of Edmonton’s breakout players with Adam Larsson, Tyson Barrie, and Ethan Bear ahead of him on the depth chart, right? Well, someone is going to get hurt or traded and that’s when Bouchard will get his shot. It’s inevitable and I suspect it’ll be Adam Larsson that is on the move or hurt.

If all the shoes dropped and Bouchard got into 30 games this year, 20 points or more wouldn’t shock me from him. Once Tippett sees how good he is at getting the puck to Edmonton’s stars and how well his shots get to the net, he’ll earn more ice time.

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Edmonton Oilers: Frank Seravalli Says Jesse Puljujarvi Hasn’t Demonstrated That He’s Ready to Grind

TSN insider Frank Seravalli was on Lowetide’s show Tuesday morning and this is what he had to say on the topic of Jesse Puljujarvi,

There just seems to be a disconnect between the Oilers and Puljujarvi that obviously was in place a while ago but seems to have been heightened a bit in terms of where Puljujarvi believes he might be able to play and what the fit might look like. 

I don’t think that he’s demonstrated, even with his play in Europe, that he warrants much more than a 3rd line opportunity. You’d have to be ready to grind and ready to play in order to get more than that and he hasn’t demonstrated that. 

So if the hold-up in getting him back over here is promising him a 1st or 2nd line spot, maybe it’s just better off if these two sides part ways. (source)

https://twitter.com/AdamsOnHockey/status/1303557211122098176

What in Sam’s Hell is with these hockey guys and their obsession with grinding and earning? So being one of Europe’s top players isn’t enough of a demonstration? I guess that was all handed to Puljujarvi? How many Karpat games do you think Frank Seravalli watched last year? I’m going to guess that it’s less than none. Man, Kiril Kaprizov is in for a rude awakening when he finally makes it to Minnesota. I hope he’s ready to grind and earn his spot…

I get that it can be hard to get to where you want to go in life without getting your hands dirty. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard… Hockey is rife with people who are where they are because they’re related to someone important or they have friends in high places and most of those people get a choice with regards to where they want to work, something Jesse Puljujarvi didn’t have when he was drafted. Not that he was unhappy about going to Edmonton, let’s establish that. He couldn’t have been happier as he relished the chance to play with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

With that in mind, what is it that they say about not meeting your heroes…

Jesse wasn’t happy with his treatment from the club and he went home to rehab not only his body and his mind (most importantly). That was and still is his right and you cannot blame him one iota for looking out for himself because his employers sure weren’t. He put a lot on the line and was more or less betrayed by his teammates, Edmonton’s medical staff, and his old coaches and GM. Why would he return to that?

Some of you unsurprisingly are going to bring up the new GM and coach and how do his teammates feel about him “walking away” from them?

Look, these are professional hockey players, They get it. Not everybody is happy on the club they play for and want out. Considering the list of players who made quiet trade requests in Edmonton (Lucic, Kassian, Talbot, etc), Oilers fans should know this. So if a guy leaves and comes back, it’s on the leadership of the team to welcome him back. After that, it’s on the player to show he belongs.

The GM’s job is to bring in players that will improve the club. Full stop. The coach’s job is to direct the players that he’s provided in a way that leads to success. Only amateurs would let their feelings get in the way of achieving their goals.

Now just getting back to this notion that Puljujarvi isn’t ready to “grind” and “earn” his place in the Oilers squad, can anybody find me a recent quote that has him saying this? Has a member of the media that covers the Oilers been able to publish some proof that Jesse is only coming back if he has a spot in Edmonton’s top-6?

NO! They haven’t. They continue to stretch perceived truths and chip away at his character whilst at the same time dogging him for choosing to play in the SM-Liiga for what, in their opinions, amounts to chump change when compared to the NHL. Equating the top league in Finland to a Senior Men’s league in Canada also… I mean, c’mon man. That’s some petty shit.

In fact, Puljujarvi has been the one on record saying, “never say never” about a return to Edmonton and that he’s grown and sees things differently now.

It’s a shame, it really is. But there are some folks who are just stuck in their ways I guess.

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My hope is that Oilers GM Ken Holland sees Jesse for the player that he is, not the one that the “Grind ‘N Earn It” crew sees him as, and gets Jesse over and gives him a shot to shut some mouths.

What I think will eventually happen though (if that scenario plays out) is that Holland will trade him. Maybe it’ll be right before the regular season starts like when Nail Yakupov was moved so that clubs get a good look at the kid during camp or maybe it’ll be a trade deadline move. The Seattle expansion draft is going to play a big hand in all of it anyhow.

Until that deal is made there are more chapters to this story on their way.

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