Player Discussion Jesse Puljujärvi 4th Overall 2016 Draft. Part II

[agent082]

Gotta say though, this was an epic night for him to burn that RFA year. 3 mins of ice time to get 1 year closer to UFA.

Maybe they don't have long-term plan for him so it really doesn't matter.

 

[Del Preston]

Didn't get to watch much of the game, and forgot to record. But I did hear on the radio from Stauffer that Pulju was benched after he made a bad play at the offensive blue line, basically saying he shoulda got the puck deep, but didn't. Really? The leash is that short? That's shorter than the one Eakins had for Yak. Yak at least had to screw up in our zone.

Gotta say though, this was an epic night for him to burn that RFA year. 3 mins of ice time to get 1 year closer to UFA.

Puljujarvi did it once at his own blue line in the first period and then again at the offensive blue line in the second.

The coaching staff deserves some blame for how he's been handled but Puljujarvi isn't doing himself any favours either. He's tried going 1-on-3 numerous times this season and I don't recall it working it once. He really shouldn't be in the NHL right now and that's been evident since December.

 

[oobga]

Puljujarvi did it once at his own blue line in the first period and then again at the offensive blue line in the second.

The coaching staff deserves some blame for how he's been handled but Puljujarvi isn't doing himself any favours either. He's tried going 1-on-3 numerous times this season and I don't recall it working it once. He really shouldn't be in the NHL right now and that's been evident since December.

Ah k, well, being allowed to make 2 mistakes is longer than the Eakins/Yak leash

It's so painfully obvious that McLellan has no trust in him and really wants no part of him on his team while he's try to battle for a playoff spot. Chia doesn't seem to care.

 

[The Bored Man]

Please send the poor guy to Bako. He needs to play more (and the team needs a steadier player).

Or at least give him some power play time. The Letestu One-Timer Era must end.

 

[Finnished]

What a waste of half a season. He could still train similarly to NHL players without being in the roster for those pity minutes and pressbox.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Ya... 3 minutes is a joke. The Oilers do realize they can freely bring him up and down between the AHL/NHL don't they? That's one of the big advantages to the draft picks that played in Europe in their draft year.. yet it clearly seems they intentionally don't want to use that advantage to their benefit.

He's also clearly not making egregious errors as he simply is not having GA when he's on the ice.

He has more 1st assists at 5 on 5 than he has seen GA at 5 on 5. By definition that means he IS NOT a detriment to this team when he plays... yet he's being benched and scratched as if he's causing this team to lose games.

This one is completely on the coaching.

 

[Keke]

I apologize on behalf of my fellow countrymen but this is the easiest way to comment this situation (Pulju's lack of ice time). I think Finnish posters have shown how Pulju is viewed in Finland and I hope Finland and the Oilers won't lose our positive connection we have had so far. This ****s especially for you as most of you have wanted to send Pulju to the AHL just like us.

I'm too quite frustrated because I kept waking up early to catch his games but stopped doing that after they started benching him.

Although I don't like comparisons to former CHL players (Thornton, Seguin) as you couldn't send them to the AHL and it was either NHL or CHL. Hopefully he'll end up like Draisaitl then

 

[Alawishis]

Do we even know if Puljujärvi wanted to play in the WC? Isn't it possible they asked him and he said, "no I'd rather stay with the team"?

 

[McFlyingV]

I apologize on behalf of my fellow countrymen but this is the easiest way to comment this situation. I think Finnish posters have shown how Pulju is viewed in Finland and I hope Finland and the Oilers won't lose our positive connection we have had so far. This ****s especially for you as most of you have wanted to send Pulju to the AHL just like us.

I'm too quite frustrated because I kept waking up early to catch his games but stopped doing that after they started benching him.

Although I don't like comparisons to former CHL players (Thornton, Seguin) as you couldn't send them to the AHL and it was either NHL or CHL. Hopefully he'll end up like Draisaitl then

I still believe heavily in Jesse becoming an elite winger.

 

[snipes]

I apologize on behalf of my fellow countrymen but this is the easiest way to comment this situation. I think Finnish posters have shown how Pulju is viewed in Finland and I hope Finland and the Oilers won't lose our positive connection we have had so far. This ****s especially for you as most of you have wanted to send Pulju to the AHL just like us.

I'm too quite frustrated because I kept waking up early to catch his games but stopped doing that after they started benching him.

Although I don't like comparisons to former CHL players (Thornton, Seguin) as you couldn't send them to the AHL and it was either NHL or CHL. Hopefully he'll end up like Draisaitl then

No need to apologize brother, great post.

I understand your guys' frustrations. I'm frustrated myself (I think it should be Maroon-McDavid-Pulju).

You have to remember, we've rushed so many youngsters before. We're trying to do right by Pulju, we're also in a playoff position and doing very well.

Our AHL affiliate is in Bakersfield, California. If you think Edmonton is a culture shock, Bakersfield is a massive shock. It's a low income, California town (very different than northern Alberta). I think the team is reluctant to send him away on his own to the USA in a very different city.

While I disagree with many decisions by the Oilers, I don't think they're "ruining" Pulju. I also don't think they're trying to harm him, they want him close to the team.

I have lots of time for patience with Pulju. Bakersfield is also one of the least educated metropolitan areas in the USA. It is a very different place than Lapland, Oulu, and Edmonton. The ethnic demographics, education levels, climate, and overall culture are very different.

I'd encourage Finns to research Bakersfield, California and ask themselves whether Edmonton (in Northern Alberta) around Pulju's teammates and family is better for him than California alone.

 

[Rento]

As a finn, the biggest thing what worries me is that on the ice and off the ice pulju seems nothing like he used to when he was playing here for my hometown team Kärpät or in the wjc etc.

I've watched all the edmoton games this season and it seems that confidence is at an all-time low level, he ain't enjoying playing like he used to and seems lost on the ice. That could be the effect of many things like the benching, low ice-time, cultural shock, missing everything back here etc. All of those should and could turn for the better when time goes by.

What i've learned about pulju after watched all his pro games here, in nhl, in wjc is that he has skill and size (still has, those things will never go away) but what made him dangerous on the ice was the confidence, passion, joy of playing and giving 100% every shift. Right now in my opinion he can't utilize anything he has going for him as a good player because of the low confidence, the ice time he gets and because it seems he has lost at least some of the passion and joy for the game for now. Of course any of us don't know the truth because we aren't on the team or puljus family or friend or anything like that but that's what it seems for me after following him closely for a few years.

Hopefully things turn around quickly and hopefully nothing that has happened has affected his career in a negative way in the long term.

and i really hope that i am being overly dramatic and too worried about the situation and it ain't as bad as it seems for me..

 

[snipes]

An offseason hanging out with McDavid, Drai, Nurse, and the guys will do wonders. Spend the summer in Edmonton.

He's just getting settled in to his new life. Not a fan of McLellan's usage. I think he should be playing more, but I'm also not panicking. I'm not ready to freak out yet.

Maybe McLellan is testing him and making him pay his rookie dues? Anyways if Pulju has the type of character I think he has, he'll get stronger from this and earn more playing time. His best days are ahead, he's still sticking around with the big club while Slepyshev was sent down.

 

[plikestechno]

I think the Oilers would prefer to send him home than to the AHL now but are concerned that if they send him back to Finland, that he wont come back. I dont think theyre convinced that he has enough comfort with NA life and the language yet to send him down to the AHL. That theyd rather help him here.

But as a poster above says, he needs to start having fun and seeing positive results again. It probably doesnt help to see his buddy Laine ripping it up right now.

The biggest problem is that the Oilers have a lot of pressure on them in Edmonton and elsewhere to make the playoffs right now. Theres a lot of pressure to not blow this now. So one or two bad plays means the bench for now. I just wish he was producing a bit better so they would never think of putting Hendricks back in.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

An offseason hanging out with McDavid, Drai, Nurse, and the guys will do wonders. Spend the summer in Edmonton.

He's just getting settled in to his new life. Not a fan of McLellan's usage. I think he should be playing more, but I'm also not panicking. I'm not ready to freak out yet.

Maybe McLellan is testing him and making him pay his rookie dues? Anyways if Pulju has the type of character I think he has, he'll get stronger from this and earn more playing time. His best days are ahead, he's still sticking around with the big club while Slepyshev was sent down.

Yeah for sure.
And how 3mins ice-time and sitting his ass-off in the pressbox helps Puljujärvi's development.
Oilers is wasting one of the most talented Finnish wingers for a years.

There's still that risk Puljujärvi won't reach his full potential in Oilers.
It's still possible when Laine tears apart NHL defences Puljujärvi tears apart KHL defences.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Do we even know if Puljujärvi wanted to play in the WC? Isn't it possible they asked him and he said, "no I'd rather stay with the team"?

That would be best for him but Oilers are going to playoffs right now.
And it's possible Puljujärvi plays in AHL when 2017 IIHF men's worlds starts in France in May.

 

[LaoTze]

Him being incredibly bad at English is probably not helping him either in getting comfortable... Anyone know if it has gotten any better? I remember seeing interviews with him and he could barley speak.

Edit: Just thought of it too, how does it affect his training? Do they have translators or?

In all honesty, I'm baffled at Jesse for not learning better English... I mean he must have known for sometime that he would probably play in the NHL, why didn't he study the language ?

 

[Hemsky4PM]

The culture thing is somewhat legit, but the guy isn't a marshmallow. There is a Finn in Bako too, Jere Sallinen. Not to mention, HE'S A HOCKEY PLAYER. Nothing would help him adjust more than actually playing big minutes in all situations.

I'm sure it's been mentioned, but is it 40 games played by the player or club that is the threshold? If it's played by the player, ok, send him down now and hope that he gets some confidence and learns in Bako, call him up if it looks like we're playoff bound in April.

 

[GameChanger]

I have been watching Puljujarvi, Aho and Laine closely for years. While I don't mean to sound like I know everything about everything, I think it was quite easy to predict some things after following them for years.

It was obvious that Laine can be a very good offensive tool already now. It was also clear his shot would be one of the best in NHL. As he had been quite prone to easy looking mistakes it was also easy to predict he would need time to develop in that area. I am not sure he would even be in NHL right now if he'd played in Oilers, so I'm happy for him that he was picked by Winnipeg, where they know how to get the most out of him. They've been patient with him when he's had a difficult time and they've given him a chance to develop his offensive game without fearing mistakes too much. Laine's preseason games were difficult, no goals and at least one costly mistake. I think either Oilers would've sent him straight to AHL or put him in lower lines with a serious warning not to make any more mistakes.

As for Aho, it was likely that he would have an easier start than e.g. Mikael Granlund, as his hockey IQ was so incredible. He had been doing well in every situation earlier, so I wasn't too worried about him even if some more muscles would be useful in NHL. Even if he wouldn't have scored much he should be a very useful player.

And then Jesse. I still think a lot of people don't quite realize the offensive potential he has. Or how brutal his shot can be. Before the season I thought he will surprise many by his defensive skills and show flashes of his offensive potential. However, he was the rawest of these three players, especially after coming from an injury and having the language problems as well. I really believed he could be a great offensive asset and an elite PP player by now, but just as Laine and Aho he would also need a team that encourages him to play offensively without being afraid of mistakes. I think they've done pretty much the opposite.

When you count his mistakes this season there aren't really that many, and I don't think they've cost any goals, but it's just amazing how he is punished by each of them, unlike many veterans who make worse mistakes at a frequent basis.

 

[GameChanger]

I'm sure it's been mentioned, but is it 40 games played by the player or club that is the threshold? If it's played by the player, ok, send him down now and hope that he gets some confidence and learns in Bako, call him up if it looks like we're playoff bound in April.

Maybe they are afraid that sending him down NOW would justify the critique they have got. I think they should have sent him down (if they want to do that) either at the start of the season or after some 25-30 games. Then if Pulju played well in AHL or if they have several injuries they could bring him up without worring immediately about the 40 game mark. If they send Pulju down now and keep him there for 10-20 games it's quite unlikely they will send him up this year, and Pulju should be aware of this. They couldn't even give him 2-3 games to show what he's got.

I actually think that the approaching 40 game limit has given even extra pressure to Pulju, so with all the things going on I'm not that surprised he seemed insecure. When Pulju played over 10 minutes per game he was doing fine, so it's sometimes hard to understand why they're doing this. I believe that if they'd boosted his confidence (words, not benching after almost every single mistake, more ice time, good line mates, some PP time) Oilers could have one top player more, which would increase secondary scoring. And there is never too much of that.

 

[kunekune]

I see that a lot of you are talking about Puljus injury and surgery but Laine had the EXACT SAME surgery this summer. Don't know if they were operated by same doctor but both had their operation done by same clinic(KoskiSairaala, Tampere). They both had a MINOR meniscus tear.

 

[GameChanger]

I see that a lot of you are talking about Puljus injury and surgery but Laine had the EXACT SAME surgery this summer. Don't know if they were operated by same doctor but both had their operation done by same clinic(KoskiSairaala, Tampere). They both had a MINOR meniscus tear.

I don't know the exact details, but even if they had the same operation it doesn't automatically mean the recovery time was the same. Laine was injured at the beginning of June and he would've been ready to practise already in July. In two months (or less) he was back to the ice, practising with Jets, but the time of the operation was good, as he managed to get to the World Championships and World Cup, which helped the transition to NHL a lot.

As far as I know, Pulju had the surgery in April/May and it took him several months to start practising with full effort. He also missed the World Championships (due to the injury or not) and didn't get to play at World Cup.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

It saddens me that this thread sounds exactly like the Yakupov thread. This team needs Puljujarvi to develop properly in order to be a contender. I hope they figure it out.

 

[BB88]

An offseason hanging out with McDavid, Drai, Nurse, and the guys will do wonders. Spend the summer in Edmonton.

He's just getting settled in to his new life. Not a fan of McLellan's usage. I think he should be playing more, but I'm also not panicking. I'm not ready to freak out yet.

Maybe McLellan is testing him and making him pay his rookie dues? Anyways if Pulju has the type of character I think he has, he'll get stronger from this and earn more playing time. His best days are ahead, he's still sticking around with the big club while Slepyshev was sent down.

I do hope they find a way to get Pulju to spent his offseason with McDavid.

 

[MoneyGuy]

Has any reporter ever asked McLellan why he's not playing and why he's not in the AHL?

 

[GameChanger]

While reading about Laine's injury I read an article that was written in August. Jets' head coach Paul Maurice said a lot of things that IMO showed that they know how to bring the best out of Laine. He spoke a lot about how they will definitely be giving him a chance to shine. He said they are prepared that a young player will have difficult times, and that he's coached several promising youngsters and he knows that there will be uphills and downhills. He also didn't want to put pressure on him, but instead give him time to develop his game and to get to know the team.

That is why they weren't discouraged by the mistakes he made, and even put him back to the 1st line when his game wasn't worth it. It's hard to see those things would've happened in Oilers. I don't mean to offend you fellow Oilers' fans, that's just the way I see it.