RW Jesse Puljujärvi - Kärpät, Liiga (2016, 4th, EDM) V

[Joe MacMillan]

It's been really hard to get a proper view on him when the pace of these games has been so substandard. He thrives at high speed when the puck is moved up the ice fast and the tempo simply hasn't been up there.

I thought he played great again but he's not exploiting his excellent speed nearly well enough. I don't know if he's still shaking off rust or is it about the slow pace but not using his strongest asset is very uncharacteristic of him.

He also needs to start shooting way more and stop being so unselfish on the ice. His playmaking skills and vision are exceptional though. He sees the ice so well. Also love how he is able to process the game so quickly.

All in all he has looked impressive thus far and I think he has been easily the most dangerous player on the ice for the past two games. But he also needs to find another gear once the preseason starts and I know he has it in him. Once the pace speeds up a notch I think he will look even better.

 

[Kamiccolo]

I can't wait to tune into this camp and check him out for myself.

 

[snipes]

I can't wait to tune into this camp and check him out for myself.

You'll like him. He's a very talented player and plays a style that's easy to appreciate. I'm starting to believe he really might be the 2nd most talented player in this draft.

8 points in 3 preseason games. His skating is just phenomenal, when you see how big he is and how he can move that fast it's pretty awesome to see. I think like some others have said, he's even got an extra gear in him we haven't seen yet.

He's got a chance to have a monster career.

 

[voxel]

He also needs to start shooting way more and stop being so unselfish on the ice. His playmaking skills and vision are exceptional though. He sees the ice so well. Also love how he is able to process the game so quickly.

Maybe I'm spoiled and hold the term "exceptional" to a higher standard... exceptional is McDavid and Draisaitl level. Excellent is Ryan-Nugent-Hopkins, Ales Hemsky, Patrick Kane... above average is Sam Gagner.

He definitely has better playmaking and hockey IQ that I expected and already has shown more than Yakupov or MPS in their rookie seasons.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

His vision (or anything except shot for that matter) is not McDavid level. Not sure how he compares to Drai in that department but Pulju has excellent vision and playmaking. I think it's one of his biggest strengths and hasn't been showing it until last game.

 

[Gsus]

Pulju is a very versatile player, one day he's a playmaker and one day he's a goal scorer. That's a valuable package when added his big size, skating and IQ. I hope he translates fast to the NHL.

 

[Hokinaittii]

Best of Pulju from the last game.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I wonder if Laine-Aho-Puljujärvi is still a thing or if Barkov will take Aho's place. I miss Pulju when he was in the Finnish top line.

 

[ijuka]

Aho has been pretty bad. Puljujärvi could hardly be worse and the handedness and his attributes work much better.

I'd vastly prefer Laine-Barkov-Puljujärvi unless Aho really improves, but he lacks things like size when compared to Barkov. Aho might be an okay middle 6 player in the national team but I believe Laine-Barkov-Puljujärvi is the future 1st line at this point.

 

[ProspectsSTC]

Why hasn't he ever played center?

 

[howkie]

Must say I like Jones dancing around the blueline with jesse

 

[BB88]

Why hasn't he ever played center?

Jag vet inte/ I don't know, but he plays W like a C. Would have guessed watching that game that he was the C on that line

 

[voxel]

His vision (or anything except shot for that matter) is not McDavid level. Not sure how he compares to Drai in that department but Pulju has excellent vision and playmaking. I think it's one of his biggest strengths and hasn't been showing it until last game.

Right now his size, mobility, skating, and puck handling ability is NHL-ready. I will hold off judgement on his hockey IQ until I see him in preseason action.

I tend to be less hyped than my fellow Oilers fans about players who have elite tools (i.e Nurse) with subpar hockeysense. I much prefer the Kopitar/M.Koviu/Barkov/Draisaitl over the flash of Ovi.

It's too bad HF purged old threads because when Kopitar was an unknown rookie I was pimping him for Calder over Malkin.

 

[Blitzago*]

Right now his size, mobility, skating, and puck handling ability is NHL-ready. I will hold off judgement on his hockey IQ until I see him in preseason action.

I tend to be less hyped than my fellow Oilers fans about players who have elite tools (i.e Nurse) with subpar hockeysense. I much prefer the Kopitar/M.Koviu/Barkov/Draisaitl over the flash of Ovi.

It's too bad HF purged old threads because when Kopitar was an unknown rookie I was pimping him for Calder over Malkin.

And how did that work.

 

[McFlyingV]

Right now his size, mobility, skating, and puck handling ability is NHL-ready. I will hold off judgement on his hockey IQ until I see him in preseason action.

I tend to be less hyped than my fellow Oilers fans about players who have elite tools (i.e Nurse) with subpar hockeysense. I much prefer the Kopitar/M.Koviu/Barkov/Draisaitl over the flash of Ovi.

It's too bad HF purged old threads because when Kopitar was an unknown rookie I was pimping him for Calder over Malkin.

There's literally nothing from his past year of hockey that would indicate that he has elite tools and subpar hockey sense. If anything it would indicate that he has superb hockey sense.

 

[BB88]

There's literally nothing from his past year of hockey that would indicate that he has elite tools and subpar hockey sense. If anything it would indicate that he has superb hockey sense.

Did you see him live yesterday?

 

[McFlyingV]

Did you see him live yesterday?

I did, but admittedly I had been drinking so I didn't get the best viewing I could have. He stood out from everyone pretty easily. Seeing such a big man fly like that with the puck is quite the spectacle in person. Didn't look like he was going too hard in the game, but he had some sublime passing through traffic, and a few real nice defensive plays, including a couple nice strips of the puck. You can tell he reads the game very well both offensively and defensively. He definitely took on the playmaking role and was finding seams with ease and thats what I love about him is his versatility to be a sniper or a playmaker. The Bears team is definitely weaker than in years past due to losing a few of their top players, but the Oilers rookies (and more specifically Jesse's line) just toyed with them all night and two of the goals by the Bears really never should have happened.

To make a comparison on him, I would say he impressed me a little more than Draisaitl last year in the same game (albeit Draisaitl played against a better Bears team), but not as much as McDavid. His skating for a guy that size is pretty incredible with how explosive he is, and his playmaking looked just as good as I was expecting it would from TV viewings of him. I can't wait to see what he looks like come preseason where he's actually going to be fighting for a job and should be a lot more engaged in the games.

Sidenote: He's got a huge head lol, it definitely stands out on the ice.

 

[BB88]

I did, but admittedly I had been drinking so I didn't get the best viewing I could have. He stood out from everyone pretty easily. Seeing such a big man fly like that with the puck is quite the spectacle in person. Didn't look like he was going too hard in the game, but he had some sublime passing through traffic, and a few real nice defensive plays, including a couple nice strips of the puck. You can tell he reads the game very well both offensively and defensively. He definitely took on the playmaking role and was finding seams with ease and thats what I love about him is his versatility to be a sniper or a playmaker. The Bears team is definitely weaker than in years past due to losing a few of their top players, but the Oilers rookies (and more specifically Jesse's line) just toyed with them all night and two of the goals by the Bears really never should have happened.

To make a comparison on him, I would say he impressed me a little more than Draisaitl last year in the same game (albeit Draisaitl played against a better Bears team), but not as much as McDavid. His skating for a guy that size is pretty incredible with how explosive he is, and his playmaking looked just as good as I was expecting it would from TV viewings of him. I can't wait to see what he looks like come preseason where he's actually going to be fighting for a job and should be a lot more engaged in the games.

Sidenote: He's got a huge head lol, it definitely stands out on the ice.

Great to hear& positive to hear that he was a bit more impressive than Dra, especially when in comparison Pulju is 1.5y younger.

I'm hoping to hear some reports on how he looks on training camp this weekend and hoping to see him on mondays game, and Pulju getting some time on the 2nd pp unit. Use that left circle to earn a spot.
Pulju said he spent last year watching Ahos work on powerplay in Liiga and definitely could tell there are similarities.

 

[McFlyingV]

Great to hear& positive to hear that he was a bit more impressive than Dra, especially when in comparison Pulju is 1.5y younger.

I'm hoping to hear some reports on how he looks on training camp this weekend and hoping to see him on mondays game, and Pulju getting some time on the 2nd pp unit. Use that left circle to earn a spot.
Pulju said he spent last year watching Ahos work on powerplay in Liiga and definitely could tell there are similarities.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention his PP work. He's exactly what Edmonton needs on their power play. I'd assume that Eberle will get the spot on the left half wall on the first unit to start, with McDavid running it from the right half wall. But if he makes the team I could absolutely see him on the left half wall of the 2nd unit to start (with the possibility to move up) with Nuge on the right half wall. He can certainly run the PP from there and having a passing threat on both sides for the seam pass and also a one-timer option on that left side would be a huge boost to the team's PP. Eberle has a good wrister from the left side and some quality playmaking ability, but Puljujarvi just projects to be so much better there and is definitely a guy that could either run his own unit, or be the one-timer option for McDavid.

 

[buttman*]

Maybe I'm spoiled and hold the term "exceptional" to a higher standard... exceptional is McDavid and Draisaitl level. Excellent is Ryan-Nugent-Hopkins, Ales Hemsky, Patrick Kane... above average is Sam Gagner.

He definitely has better playmaking and hockey IQ that I expected and already has shown more than Yakupov or MPS in their rookie seasons.

How the **** does Kane go with RNH and Hemsky? OMG.

 

[BB88]

Oh yeah I forgot to mention his PP work. He's exactly what Edmonton needs on their power play. I'd assume that Eberle will get the spot on the left half wall on the first unit to start, with McDavid running it from the right half wall. But if he makes the team I could absolutely see him on the left half wall of the 2nd unit to start (with the possibility to move up) with Nuge on the right half wall. He can certainly run the PP from there and having a passing threat on both sides for the seam pass and also a one-timer option on that left side would be a huge boost to the team's PP. Eberle has a good wrister from the left side and some quality playmaking ability, but Puljujarvi just projects to be so much better there and is definitely a guy that could either run his own unit, or be the one-timer option for McDavid.

McDavid-Pulju on the pp should be unfair, their possession numbers could also be pretty insane.

Just imagine those 2 flying through neutral zone, how do you stop them?

 

[McFlyingV]

McDavid-Pulju on the pp should be unfair, their possession numbers could also be pretty insane.

Just imagine those 2 flying through neutral zone, how do you stop them?

Yup it really would be a dream setup on the PP. Throw those two on the half walls, Lucic in front of the net, Draisaitl down low and maybe Klefbom/Davidson on the point. You'd have 3 excellent playmakers in McD, Pulju and Drai. Three big guys who can win battles for pucks in Lucic, Drai, and Pulju, and 2 bombs in Pulju and Klefbom/Davidson.

My god thats going to be fun to watch seeing those two flying through the neutral zone. I don't know if you watched the NA game yesterday, but McDavid was putting on an absolute clinic through the neutral zone, I still can't believe that someone can skate and control the puck like he can at that speed. I still think Lucic-McDavid-Puljujarvi could be an absolute dream line. A physical monster in Lucic who can open up space, protect pucks, and go hard to the net. A blazing fast winger to keep up with McDavid when he puts the jets on, who can really shoot the puck, but also with incredible vision and the frame to be a puck protecting beast when he fills out (not to mention I think he's going be a very reliable 2-way player). And then of course Connor McDavid, thats really all that needs to be said about him.

If Lucic can still play the way he does now, 3 or 4 years from now when McDavid and Jesse both grow into their bodies, that will be an absolutely dominant puck possession line that will be able to dominate both on the rush and the cycle.

 

[Dempsey]

How the **** does Kane go with RNH and Hemsky? OMG.

That's exactly what I was thinking, too. Pretty ridiculous.

 

[BB88]

Yup it really would be a dream setup on the PP. Throw those two on the half walls, Lucic in front of the net, Draisaitl down low and maybe Klefbom/Davidson on the point. You'd have 3 excellent playmakers in McD, Pulju and Drai. Three big guys who can win battles for pucks in Lucic, Drai, and Pulju, and 2 bombs in Pulju and Klefbom/Davidson.

My god thats going to be fun to watch seeing those two flying through the neutral zone. I don't know if you watched the NA game yesterday, but McDavid was putting on an absolute clinic through the neutral zone, I still can't believe that someone can skate and control the puck like he can at that speed. I still think Lucic-McDavid-Puljujarvi could be an absolute dream line. A physical monster in Lucic who can open up space, protect pucks, and go hard to the net. A blazing fast winger to keep up with McDavid when he puts the jets on, who can really shoot the puck, but also with incredible vision and the frame to be a puck protecting beast when he fills out (not to mention I think he's going be a very reliable 2-way player). And then of course Connor McDavid, thats really all that needs to be said about him.

If Lucic can still play the way he does now, 3 or 4 years from now when McDavid and Jesse both grow into their bodies, that will be an absolutely dominant puck possession line that will be able to dominate both on the rush and the cycle.

Yep I watched all of their games, and I don't know what can you say about him, just wow. I thought he was top3 talent at the World Cup with Crosby and Bergeron.

But I also felt he was missing something from his lines, and someone like Pulju from that powerplay.
I hope those pre season games can be watched from youtube as well.

 

[McFlyingV]

Yep I watched all of their games, and I don't know what can you say about him, just wow. I thought he was top3 talent at the World Cup with Crosby and Bergeron.

But I also felt he was missing something from his lines, and someone like Pulju from that powerplay.
I hope those pre season games can be watched from youtube as well.

They were last year from what I can remember. I think the Oilers youtube will have the split squad game in Edmonton on Monday, and the Calgary youtube should have the one in Calgary. Not sure which game Jesse will be in, but he should be in one of them. And hopefully he'll get a chance to play with either McDavid or Nuge, who I would assume should both be playing Monday.