Player Discussion Jesse Puljujärvi 4th Overall 2016 Draft. Part V: Called Up 11/10/17

[McBigYak]

Leon D.

Although neither player has a considerable sample size in the AHL, Leon isn't exactly a good example considering he only played 6 games.

 

[GameChanger]

Although neither player has a considerable sample size in the AHL, Leon isn't exactly a good example considering he only played 6 games.

Yes and in that case it's good to remember the sample size with Jesse is even smaller this year.

 

[McJadeddog]

Another bad game from him. 1 shot on net and no points in a 3-1 win. 2 points in 5 games this season now. Still early, but he actually appears to have REGRESSED from last year. Yikes! For a guy who was already having problems, backwards isn't the way he should be moving. Still crazy early though.

Yes and in that case it's good to remember the sample size with Jesse is even smaller this year.

Yeah, this is a good point. I've been pretty vocal about my doubts regarding Pulj, but to really have this conversation with enough data to back up one argument or the other, we likely can't talk until January/February. If he is still struggling as badly as he is now half way through his 2nd AHL season, well then we are in a WORLD of trouble. Until then, it's just one more small data point (although they have all been bad data points so far, lol).

 

[Soundwave]

I kinda expected this. Unfortunately he's a kid and was gonna pout a bit after setting himself up to make the team straight out of camp this year. Draisaitl did it too.

He's just going to have to play himself out of this funk.

 

[GameChanger]

Another bad game from him. 1 shot on net and no points in a 3-1 win. 2 points in 5 games this season now. Still early, but he actually appears to have REGRESSED from last year. Yikes! For a guy who was already having problems, backwards isn't the way he should be moving. Still crazy early though.

Sure he could've started better, but as you said it's early and he's probably still gathering himself after the disappointment. At least this report (two games ago) at Edmonton Journal gives a more optimistic feeling:

Puljujarvi, #9 on Bakersfield, looked good in the AHL last year but he looked even better this game. He’s the youngest player on the team. He only turned 19 last May but he’s one of nine returning veterans in Bakersfield and it looks like he’s marking his territory on this team. He’s on the top line with Brad Malone and Joey Laleggia, and even better he’s combining extremely well with Laleggia, constantly looking for the streaking Laleggia with passes and hitting him in stride. This should be a dangerous AHL duo.

Puljujarvi has great touch making a pass, and he had a few good moments using his body to win and protect the puck against San Antonio. Give him at least a few more months down here, if not a full season, and he should be able to hone these skills to an NHL level.

 

[Staghorn]

Sure he could've started better, but as you said it's early and he's probably still gathering himself after the disappointment. At least this report (two games ago) at Edmonton Journal gives a more optimistic feeling:

Puljujarvi, #9 on Bakersfield, looked good in the AHL last year but he looked even better this game. He’s the youngest player on the team. He only turned 19 last May but he’s one of nine returning veterans in Bakersfield and it looks like he’s marking his territory on this team. He’s on the top line with Brad Malone and Joey Laleggia, and even better he’s combining extremely well with Laleggia, constantly looking for the streaking Laleggia with passes and hitting him in stride. This should be a dangerous AHL duo.

Puljujarvi has great touch making a pass, and he had a few good moments using his body to win and protect the puck against San Antonio. Give him at least a few more months down here, if not a full season, and he should be able to hone these skills to an NHL level.

Would be interesting to get a candid answer from the CBJ GM who "shockingly" passed on Pulju for PL Dubois at last years draft, passing on the "sure thing" at #3... I wonder what his reasons were and what he saw that the Oil staff didn't see when they jumped on Pulju like a fat kid on a Smartie. Now he needs another YEAR? Yikes.

 

[McJadeddog]

Well another game with no points for Pulj. At least got 5 shots on net (most on his team, and tied for most in the game), so that is good. I think we're at the point where we have to start looking for small things to get excited with him. It's very early still, but if he is still playing like this in January, it might be time to look at trade options.

 

[McGhostbuster]

Well another game with no points for Pulj. At least got 5 shots on net (most on his team, and tied for most in the game), so that is good. I think we're at the point where we have to start looking for small things to get excited with him. It's very early still, but if he is still playing like this in January, it might be time to look at trade options.

Problem is, half of Puljujarvi's value to us is his entry level contract. We can't just trade him for a current player that has a larger cap hit and how many rookie for rookie trades do we see. The other option is move him for a lesser prospect and a draft pick or just draft picks, which doesn't help us either.

A trade is ultimately unlikely and we ride it out. Hopefully he develops and doesn't depreciate like Yakupov.

 

[bobbythebrain]

I like the suggestion we saw earlier. Send him back to Finland. Hopefully he can be the most comfortable there and start looking good

I'll add, the minute he does trade him ASAP

 

[McFlyingV]

I kinda expected this. Unfortunately he's a kid and was gonna pout a bit after setting himself up to make the team straight out of camp this year. Draisaitl did it too.

He's just going to have to play himself out of this funk.

Yeah this seems to be a probable scenario of whats going on. Way too early after 6 games to be worrying. We'll see what happens with Yamamoto, but if he's sent back there might be an opportunity with the big club. I'd like to see him get rolling in the AHL first though rather than just hand him the spot like they did with Draisaitl. Obviously it worked out with Draisaitl who got a few lucky points his first game up and his confidence took off, but I don't think we should be banking on that with another player.

 

[syz]

Trade him to New Jersey, there's a guy out there who could probably get him going.

 

[Da McBomb]

Remember when some said that Pulju was almost on par with Laine during their draft year? Man... it's kind of concerning that this pick might turn out to be like a Yakupov or sam Bennett pick.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

NINE shots on goal and an assist from Jesse today.

 

[shoop]

NINE shots on goal and an assist from Jesse today.

The Oilers should call him up when they send Yamamoto down.

 

[CycloneSweep]

The Oilers should call him up when they send Yamamoto down.

I fully disagree.
He is showing hustle but isn't really ready yet. Bringing him up would help no one.

 

[McDrai]

NINE shots on goal and an assist from Jesse today.

Well that's an improvement. Next step is being able to score at the AHL level

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Well that's an improvement. Next step is being able to score at the AHL level

14 shots in his last 2 games after 3 in his previous 3 games. They will start going in if he keeps shooting the puck in droves.

 

[McFlyingV]

The Oilers should call him up when they send Yamamoto down.

At this point why not? They've got nothing to lose. Toss him on McDavid's line so Nuge can get some help from Drai and see if Jesse can bring something that most of the teams not. Then put Strome on the 3rd line so at least when he does nothing its in the bottom 6 which is already doing nothing and maybe the top 6 will outscore the lack of depth.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Well that's an improvement. Next step is being able to score at the AHL level

He has
3 assists in 7 games is a -1 and has 22 shots on goal

Not awful but not NHL ready.

14 shots in his last 2 games after 3 in his previous 3 games. They will start going in if he keeps shooting the puck in droves.

I mean..we said that about the team and it hasn't been true outside of a leaky Bishop. We had 1/4 of our goals that game.

 

[shoop]

He has
3 assists in 7 games is a -1 and has 22 shots on goal

Not awful but not NHL ready.

29th in the league after 10 games means the whole concept of NHL ready needs to be re-examined.

Yamamoto only has two more games left before they burn a year of his ELC. That makes zero sense.

The team needs another RW when Yamamoto is sent down. Call Puljujarvi up for a few games so any deal isn't coming out of pure desperation. If he's ready then it gives the Oilers a little more time to find a good deal for Strome.

 

[McFlyingV]

29th in the league after 10 games means the whole concept of NHL ready needs to be re-examined.

Yamamoto only has two more games left before they burn a year of his ELC. That makes zero sense.

The team needs another RW when Yamamoto is sent down. Call Puljujarvi up for a few games so any deal isn't coming out of pure desperation. If he's ready then it gives the Oilers a little more time to find a good deal for Strome.

I got some bad news. I don't think there's ever going to be a good deal for Strome. Chia just needs to stop trading with Snow. Everything he gets in return just straight up sucks at hockey.

 

[CycloneSweep]

29th in the league after 10 games means the whole concept of NHL ready needs to be re-examined.

Yamamoto only has two more games left before they burn a year of his ELC. That makes zero sense.

The team needs another RW when Yamamoto is sent down. Call Puljujarvi up for a few games so any deal isn't coming out of pure desperation. If he's ready then it gives the Oilers a little more time to find a good deal for Strome.

You look for whats best for the player and the team. He won't help us and bringing him up won't help his development.

 

[Soundwave]

Bring him up for a couple of games, what's the harm? If he's not good, send him back down. Big whoop. At least he makes the team a little faster.

 

[Elias Pettersson]

I like the suggestion we saw earlier. Send him back to Finland. Hopefully he can be the most comfortable there and start looking good

I'll add, the minute he does trade him ASAP

Not a bad idea. The Canucks did it with Juolevi and he's immediately lighting it up and playing much better.

 

[Soundwave]

I don't think that would be a good idea for Jesse. He needs to learn English for freaking starters, and that isn't going to be helped in Finland. He needs to learn to play on a smaller ice surface that is more physical and that isn't happening there either.