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

[PulYou]

Well his puck handling was off as a rookie as well, so I dont know.

According to scouting "he’s a good playmaker with strong
puck-handling skills." More than anything I believe this is a confidence issue. Even this season there were sparks to be seen of the player he can be, especially the Vancouver game, where he dominated.

HOW GOOD IS JESSE PULJUJARVI?

 

[BB88]

Well his puck handling was off as a rookie as well, so I dont know.

It was, but it could have looked a lot better on his 2nd year without it.

Would think that's an area he's going to focus and with time he should get used to his frame, coordination problems have been an issue for him.
I didn't think he had such problems few years ago.

 

[CycloneSweep]

It was, but it could have looked a lot better on his 2nd year without it.

Would think that's an area he's going to focus and with time he should get used to his frame, coordination problems have been an issue for him.
I didn't think he had such problems few years ago.

Has he grown since then?
It's baffling. Draft year, he was big, seemed to understand his body and size and went hard and skilled all the time. Got drafted and any glimpse of the player that was drafted was absolutely non existent outside of the occassional game.

 

[FlameChampion]

It was, but it could have looked a lot better on his 2nd year without it.

Would think that's an area he's going to focus and with time he should get used to his frame, coordination problems have been an issue for him.
I didn't think he had such problems few years ago.

Yeah its weird. I seen some hilights with Bakersfield and his hands seemed better. Maybe its confidence, maybe its pressure, maybe hes just trying to move the puck quick because of what the coach is saying, who knows. I hope he works on in the summer. He seems to have balance issues as well. I wonder if he needs to train his legs/core more.

 

[Dropkick Murphy]

I see lot of similarities between Puljujärvi and other top 5 Finnish pick, Olli Jokinen. Like Jokinen, Pulju seems to be quite immature and has neglected some basic work. If you compare with other top Finnish prospects from same age group, Pulju is lacking both in conditioning and focus.

Good thing about Pulju is that just like Jokinen, he has all the tools and loves hockey. So eventually, he will be a good NHLer. But most probably that’s not gonna happen in Edmonton.

 

[PulYou]

I see lot of similarities between Puljujärvi and other top 5 Finnish pick, Olli Jokinen. Like Jokinen, Pulju seems to be quite immature and has neglected some basic work. If you compare with other top Finnish prospects from same age group, Pulju is lacking both in conditioning and focus.

Good thing about Pulju is that just like Jokinen, he has all the tools and loves hockey. So eventually, he will be a good NHLer. But most probably that’s not gonna happen in Edmonton.

I think Your diagnose at least conserning Jesse's conditioning is failed. He is known to be a hard trainer. For example Jere Sallinen here says he never met a young guy training so much as Jesse. Jere thinks Jesse should relax for awhile.

Äitiä tuli ikävä, kun poika lähti suureen maailmaan – Jesse Puljujärven hymy hyytyi Pohjois-Amerikassa

 

[FlameChampion]

I think Your diagnose at least conserning Jesse's conditioning is failed. He is known to be a hard trainer. For example Jere Sallinen here says he never met a young guy training so much as Jesse. Jere thinks Jesse should relax for awhile.

Äitiä tuli ikävä, kun poika lähti suureen maailmaan – Jesse Puljujärven hymy hyytyi Pohjois-Amerikassa

Yeah everything I have read about him, is that he trains very hard. I think I read too that Spector said hes built like a god.

I think he might not train the best way. I know Chiarelli had mentioned something similar last summer, where they had to adjust his training. I wonder if he trains more on upper body rather than legs/core. He will have a full summer this year to train and hes not coming off a injury, so I have my fingers crossed. The Oilers really need JP to turn into a player for them.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Yeah everything I have read about him, is that he trains very hard. I think I read too that Spector said hes built like a god.

I think he might not train the best way. I know Chiarelli had mentioned something similar last summer, where they had to adjust his training. I wonder if he trains more on upper body rather than legs/core. He will have a full summer this year to train and hes not coming off a injury, so I have my fingers crossed. The Oilers really need JP to turn into a player for them.

Yakupov was similar. Great work ethic, worked his butt off but wasn't working on the proper things. I think Jesse with guidance will actually start working on what he should. I hope

 

[voxel]

Size, skating, speed, shot, and playmaking/vision are there... a little raw. His puck handling and puck protection skills are junior level though. There have been glimpse of good board work. Too often he just fumbles at the blueline or randomly.

 

[GameChanger]

At least he had some willpower by not going to the WHC. His friends Aho, Nutivaara, Teräväinen, Kapanen and Rantanen joined the team, and the two main coaches (and the goalie coach) are Jesse's former FEL coaches, so it must've been hard to say no thanks.

Jesse said the last two summers hadn't been ideal and he wants to have a perfect training summer this time.

 

[Gordian Knot]

He should be training with Connor. Everything where McDavid excels, Puljujarvi is raw. He could be in a verge of monster season if he finds a way to protect the puck, find passing lanes at speed, improve puckhandling and first touch as well as balance on skates.

Train snap shots and one timers.

And someone should tell him that he just needs to want more on ice. Be much much more mean player. He needs to have set of mind that he takes the puck from the corner what ever it takes or he runs other guy through the board.

Maybe he should train with Marchand to tick all boxes...

 

[McTonyBrar]

I see lot of similarities between Puljujärvi and other top 5 Finnish pick, Olli Jokinen. Like Jokinen, Pulju seems to be quite immature and has neglected some basic work. If you compare with other top Finnish prospects from same age group, Pulju is lacking both in conditioning and focus.

Good thing about Pulju is that just like Jokinen, he has all the tools and loves hockey. So eventually, he will be a good NHLer. But most probably that’s not gonna happen in Edmonton.

Not going to happen in Edmonton. Huh? So why have Draisaitl, Nurse, Khaira, RNH and etc. become good here...

 

[EDMOILERS9729]

Hes a great kid with work ethic and all the tools in the world. Very raw however. Just needs some confidence and the right training this offseason to hopefully break out next year. Nuge-Mcdavid-Pulju would be a deadly first line if Puljujarvi can come into his own next year.

 

[Gord]

Not going to happen in Edmonton. Huh? So why have Draisaitl, Nurse, Khaira, RNH and etc. become good here...

there is a far larger list of talented players that the oilers have failed.
I think you actually added " and etc", because you ran out of players to mention by name.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Not going to happen in Edmonton. Huh? So why have Draisaitl, Nurse, Khaira, RNH and etc. become good here...

Draisaitl was too good to bust. RNH had a great rookie year and still hasn't gotten close. Nurse developed extremely slow and with his pure physical ability...it's a no brainer and Khaira is an outlier.

Still haven't seen anything to expect success from.

 

[voxel]

there is a far larger list of talented players that the oilers have failed.
I think you actually added " and etc", because you ran out of players to mention by name.

Oilers have developed Petry, Brodziak, Glencross, Cogliano, Eberle, Horcoff... none are the top-20 picks. The "talented" players that the Oilers have failed? IMO Tyler Pitlick - they should have kept him in college and told him not to be a wrecking ball. With his size, skating, puck skills... he could have been great.

 

[Lacaar]

He's got the drive and the skill. I'm hoping it's lack of confidence.

But just from my observations he's looking to be deficient at thinking the game at the NHL level. Gets himself into some really wtf type places. Can't seem to get involved in the play because he has no idea where it's going etc.

 

[soothsayer]

I am a huge fan of Pulju. I think one of the biggest things he needs to work on is moving his feet more. He needs to keep the pegs churning. When he does that, he often looks physically dominant and sometimes overwhelms the opposition. When he starts to glide, that's when he gets into those awkward positions people are mentioning. I also think he could give more through his legs when he has the puck--he needs to skate harder.

I'm looking forward to seeing him under a new PP coach, someone who will use him the way he should obviously be used. With that said, I have often wondered whether Pulju has conditioning issues, which would explain why he wasn't getting PP time and also why he doesn't keep his feet moving. They say he's a little immature, and sometimes that word is used as innuendo for not eating and training properly, among other things. I hope he works on his conditioning this summer. I'm confident that he's a 30 goal guy, maybe even next year.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I heard one of the things that turned Karlsson into a legit forward was in Columbus he was told to dump and chase and if he didn't he didn't play.

So maybe I am entirely wrong and Puljujarvi literally does just need better usage?

 

[FlameChampion]

I am a huge fan of Pulju. I think one of the biggest things he needs to work on is moving his feet more. He needs to keep the pegs churning. When he does that, he often looks physically dominant and sometimes overwhelms the opposition. When he starts to glide, that's when he gets into those awkward positions people are mentioning. I also think he could give more through his legs when he has the puck--he needs to skate harder.

I'm looking forward to seeing him under a new PP coach, someone who will use him the way he should obviously be used. With that said, I have often wondered whether Pulju has conditioning issues, which would explain why he wasn't getting PP time and also why he doesn't keep his feet moving. They say he's a little immature, and sometimes that word is used as innuendo for not eating and training properly, among other things. I hope he works on his conditioning this summer. I'm confident that he's a 30 goal guy, maybe even next year.

When I watch him sometimes I just wonder if he knows where hes suppose to go. We have heard he was a great skater prior to the draft but it doesnt look that effective at the NHL level. He looks a little lost at times especially in the offensive zone (looks like hes overthinking and not trusting himself). Maybe its the language barrier where he doesnt fully understand what TM is telling him or TM is telling him too much instead of just letting him play and trusting his instincts in the offensive zone. Honestly I think its a bit of both probably but sometimes I think its more of the latter. His positioning on the PP, which is often in the middle of the ice sorta between the dots is often weird (I think its pretty obvious that hes doing what the coach wants in this situation). I dont know why the coaching staff doesnt put him in positions where hes had success before. It seems like the coaching staff is trying to make the player change to what the coach wants rather than just using him in a position where hes had success before, which would honestly be easier and probably better for JP.

 

[Aerrol]

He should be training with Connor. Everything where McDavid excels, Puljujarvi is raw. He could be in a verge of monster season if he finds a way to protect the puck, find passing lanes at speed, improve puckhandling and first touch as well as balance on skates.

Train snap shots and one timers.

And someone should tell him that he just needs to want more on ice. Be much much more mean player. He needs to have set of mind that he takes the puck from the corner what ever it takes or he runs other guy through the board.

Maybe he should train with Marchand to tick all boxes...

I would love to see McDavid training more hands on with other players in general. I suspect he's a bit more private and would prefer to do things solo in the offseason, but I really think it would pay huge dividends for the other players. Even Draisaitl - seeing how other top-level athletes train can really be eye-opening. Hall credits training with Tavares and other stars last off-season in Toronto for the first time as a major part of improving his game this year. And it shows, especially in his shooting - he's never shot that well before. I suspect Tavares taught him a thing or two.

Similarly, I hope McDavid starts to do what Crosby does - teach his linemates where to go. You can see Crosby talking as much on the bench as his coaches do. I think McDavid's got a similar hockey-mind and would rub off on his teammates that way.

 

[Missoil]

Interesting tweet about Jesse.

 

[yababy]

Not going to happen in Edmonton. Huh? So why have Draisaitl, Nurse, Khaira, RNH and etc. become good here...

from that list I'd say that only Draisaitl has reached his pre draft potential.

Really concerning how almost no highly touted draft pick reaches their potential here. This is all the way back to Jason Arnott in 1993

 

[frag2]

I heard one of the things that turned Karlsson into a legit forward was in Columbus he was told to dump and chase and if he didn't he didn't play.

So maybe I am entirely wrong and Puljujarvi literally does just need better usage?

I think the problem is coaching doesn't know how to use him at all. They likely dont know what kind of player they really have in JP and JP himself hasn't really shown 'much'.

He's versatile but not adept any really anything at the moment. Once again, going back to the "rawness" in his game

 

[Aerrol]

Interesting tweet about Jesse.

What does no Lucic mean? Not training with him? Did he train with Looch before? Glad he's adjusting his stick, if true. Seemed way too long.