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

[McFlyingV]

Should sign him this offseason to a long cheap deal. He's going to be an incredible player in the NHL and if you wait until after next year you're going to be paying him a ton. As soon as he starts getting PP time his numbers are going to break out. He'll be a 60+ point winger next year, I feel pretty confident in saying that.

 

[BB88]

When you play well you get rewarded.

 

[Stoneman89]

He is really learning to use that big body, strength and reach of his to advantage.

 

[Stoneman89]

Put him on the PP already. This is maddening.

Fire the coach!

Fire the GM!

 

[NotCommitted]

You live in an idealistic world that frankly does not exist. Managers never look for the best interest of thier employees.

The problem with that line of thinking is it's team/management VS players. What says their interests don't/can't overlap and many things which are good for the players end up for being good for the team and vice versa. Ofc they'll always be at odds with some things, like team will always want to pay less and players want to earn more, but there's more to life than that.

And no need to tell me I live in an imaginary world, we all do.

Oh, and Pulju is looking pretty nice on those rushes, another slick play tonight His P/60 must be on pretty high level for the past games to score at that rate with the minutes he's playing.

 

[GameChanger]

Oh, and Pulju is looking pretty nice on those rushes, another slick play tonight His P/60 must be on pretty high level for the past games to score at that rate with the minutes he's playing.

I don't know about P/6o, but it seems his ESG/60 during the whole season is now top15 in all of NHL. He's got 4 goals and 6 points in the last 7 games without PP time.

 

[redgrant]

It's amazing that pulu is essentially the only forward not getting pp time aside from Kassian and kharia.

Almost like McLellan is trying to prove a point that everyone was wrong and he and Mark letestu were right all along.

 

[Speed220DChalavan]

He's playing well, but would like to see him drive the bus when not playing along with McDavid.

He does possess good speed and is more assertive on/with the puck this year. By no means he's a finished project - but probably would wait another year before extending him long-term or a bridge contract.

 

[GameChanger]

Almost like McLellan is trying to prove a point that everyone was wrong and he and Mark letestu were right all along.

First reaction
After realizing this may actually be true
But when you really think about this it's gotta be and

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

He's playing well, but would like to see him drive the bus when not playing along with McDavid.

He does possess good speed and is more assertive on/with the puck this year. By no means he's a finished project - but probably would wait another year before extending him long-term or a bridge contract.

he's 19

give him time

 

[Dan Kelly]

When you play well you get rewarded.

yup, Jesse sure is a BUST isn't he?

 

[walktheboulavard]

He's playing well, but would like to see him drive the bus when not playing along with McDavid.

He does possess good speed and is more assertive on/with the puck this year. By no means he's a finished project - but probably would wait another year before extending him long-term or a bridge contract.

From what I've seen he's been excellent with RNH as well, and I think good speed is underselling his skating ability, elite speed would be more accurate. The kid can absolutely fly, case in point, when he ripped up ice to create the odd man rush with Lucic for the gwg.

Ideally you want to sign him now, a player with his skating, shooting, vision/passing, puck protection/cycling and defensively ability at 19 years old with a 6'4 frame is only going to get significantly better.

 

[GameChanger]

Ideally you want to sign him now, a player with his skating, shooting, vision/passing, puck protection/cycling and defensively ability at 19 years old with a 6'4 frame is only going to get significantly better.

Out of curiosity, is it possible to terminate an ELC earlier with a new contract? I was just thinking that as there's still more or less cap space left and if they believe at some point that they won't make the playoffs, maybe they could use that cap space to start Jesse's new contract already now? These 1,5 years would then take money off from the coming years. Next year would be more challenging without Jesse's ELC, but the cost for each year should be tolerable which would help the situation in the coming years.

 

[GameChanger]

Edmonton Journal about Jesse's game:

Jesse Puljujarvi was a beast this game, at least in the 9:59 he got to play. His speed, size and skill took over at times and he scored a crucial goal, streaking to the net and battling his way to a rebound marker. It’s a travesty that he’s not on the top power play given that he’s playing so hard and well and the Oil’s top power play unit is largely ineffective, at least when it sets up in the o-zone. What more does he have to do to earn that spot? How bad does the top unit have to be?

 

[McFlyingV]

Out of curiosity, is it possible to terminate an ELC earlier with a new contract? I was just thinking that as there's still more or less cap space left and if they believe at some point that they won't make the playoffs, maybe they could use that cap space to start Jesse's new contract already now? These 1,5 years would then take money off from the coming years. Next year would be more challenging without Jesse's ELC, but the cost for each year should be tolerable which would help the situation in the coming years.

Nope you can't do that. They can, however, sign Jesse this offseason after July 1st to a contract extension that would start in 2019. I think that would be the smart move. Something in the 4-4.5M x 6-8 years would be fine by me.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

It’s about time this kid is on the first pp unit.

Anyone saying otherwise In order to “keep his salary down” doesn’t seem to realize that jp and his agent have brains, and can see exactly what is going on.

They aren’t going to take some big discount because the organization isn’t giving him a chance to score even more points and drive his value even higher. In fact if I were in his position, and that truly was what was happening, I’d be requesting a trade out of here ASAP.

Who the hell is going to want to play for a team knowing that they’re more worried about not paying you what your worth than they are about winning. If jp turns out to be a player worth 8m a year, that’s a good problem to have, and you work around those salaries.

 

[GameChanger]

Nope you can't do that. They can, however, sign Jesse this offseason after July 1st to a contract extension that would start in 2019. I think that would be the smart move. Something in the 4-4.5M x 6-8 years would be fine by me.

Okay, thanks. I'm sure that would be fine to the Oilers supporters, and personally it doesn't matter to me if they give him a few bucks a year and maybe some bread to survive However, I can't see him signing for that. The difference to e.g. Drai or even Lucic is simpy too much and I believe some other teams would be ready to offer more than many dare to say aloud here. I'm sure Jesse would like to stay in Edmonton, but if he feels he's messed around for a lower contract and if he gets a much better deal elsewhere he won't sign an extension.

 

[McFlyingV]

Okay, thanks. I'm sure that would be fine to the Oilers supporters, and personally it doesn't matter to me if they give him a few bucks a year and maybe some bread to survive However, I can't see him signing for that. The difference to e.g. Drai or even Lucic is simpy too much and I believe some other teams would be ready to offer more than many dare to say aloud here. I'm sure Jesse would like to stay in Edmonton, but if he feels he's messed around for a lower contract and if he gets a much better deal elsewhere he won't sign an extension.

Depends what he does over the full season. There's pro's and con's for a player with a deal like that. If they believe they'll be a star then they might be hesitant to sign that, but at the same time you're getting 30M guaranteed money and thats a ton of security for a 19 year old. It would be hard to compare yourself to either Drai or Lucic if he say finishes this year with something like 35-40P because Drai was coming off a top 10P season and top PPG in playoffs, and Lucic was a free agent with multiple 60P seasons under his belt.

I'm sure they could work out some type of deal that makes both sides happy. Its always a gamble to give a player a long-term contract like that before they've proven much at the NHL level, and while some players might want to wait until they have it would be hard to turn down a guaranteed 30M. Jesse wouldn't be able to even look elsewhere until July 1 of 2019 so its not like he'd have a ton of leverage this summer if both sides were looking to sign an extension.

Anyways, I was more just spitballing a deal that could work for both sides that could help the team build for the future, while giving Jesse a ton of guaranteed money and incentive to play with McDavid for the next decade before cashing in with a retirement contract at 28 that could get him north of another 60M. The potential to play for McDavid over the next decade before cashing in has to at least be appealing for a kid who a month ago wasn't even in the NHL.

 

[Mr Positive]

Nothing in the NHL makes me happier right now than seeing him succeed. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Screw everyone who were calling him a bust.

Fan perception can be that cliche of "what have you done for me lately". Not only does it make those old opinions of him being a bust silly, but imo it also explains why McLellan would hold back on him a bit. Just give this whole situation some time. JP has great talent and will get the spots he deserves, and I don't blame McLellan for taking a bit slow with him

 

[snipes]

I don't think JP is being kept off he PP to keep his salary down. That's too intelligent of a plan for these idiots.

Occam's razor, the simple, and more likely explanation, is Woodcroft is an idiot and TM is just stubbornly loyal to that moron.

 

[walktheboulavard]

Out of curiosity, is it possible to terminate an ELC earlier with a new contract? I was just thinking that as there's still more or less cap space left and if they believe at some point that they won't make the playoffs, maybe they could use that cap space to start Jesse's new contract already now? These 1,5 years would then take money off from the coming years. Next year would be more challenging without Jesse's ELC, but the cost for each year should be tolerable which would help the situation in the coming years.

No I don't think that's possible, like McFlyingV mentioned, you have to play out your ELC before your next contract kicks in.

 

[BB88]

From few days ago, I really, really hope Todd doesn't agree with that.

yup, Jesse sure is a BUST isn't he?

Certainly, in the last few weeks he's been the most entertaining Finn to watch in the NHL.
I loved his playing style pre draft and was hyping him and he's started to transfer that style to his NHL game bit by bit.
I called him a C playing W who doesn't stop skating pre draft.

 

[Laineux]

Been the best player from 2016 draft class for the last couple of weeks. Keep it up and please coach give some PP time for this kid.

 

[DaJackal]

So nice to see him finally (weird to say this way about a 19yo kid) succeed. That smile is just impossible not to like. Every time he scores he looks like a 12-year-old who has just scored the decisive goal right before the school bell rings and ends recess.

I've never questioned his abilities as a player, but I have to say that I was a bit frightened at one point during last season and at the beginning of this season. I was afraid that his treatment would ruin his confidence and, more importantly, his immense joy of the game. I know he hasn't been treated THAT badly, but to me he seems like a guy who doesn't take the "we have to toughen him up" approach well.

Lastly, I'm not going to complain but...

Oilers have special teams.
They don't seem to work very well.
Memo to coaching staff: They can be altered during the season.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Put him on the right f***ing half wall already, Christ.