Player Discussion Jesse Puljujärvi pt 6

[JohnnyBerts]

Did he learn English yet? Not trying to knock him because I think Jesse is awesome but it's really hard to excel in the NHL if you can't speak the language.

 

[traffic cone]

Yes they do.

IIRC, they have his rights for another 4 years including this year. 4+3 (ELC years that have lapsed) = 7

No?

i believe you are correct. Three more years after this one.

Pretty sure he is a group 3 free agent.

That means if he stays in Europe he becomes a free agent when he hits the age of 27. He's played at least 80 NHL games so he can't be a group 6 who are free agents at 25.

I meant that they don't have seven years left (anymore). That's what it sounded like in the post I quoted.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

I meant that they don't have seven years left (anymore). That's what it sounded like in the post I quoted.

He's down to just under 6 years (season-wise) now (May). Five more after this one.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

So Jesse plays this year in Liiga (200 000€ per season). Then four seasons in KHL (800 000 € net per season). Then signs a contract to NHL as a free agent. I don´t think he will have to live on ramen with that career trajectory. He´ll be fine careerwise even if Oilers are bitter and dont trade him.

And why it's hard to feel sorry for the player who's making his career choices. Personally I'd change the last line of your post to reflect that players who haven't earned the rights to free agency do not have the means or ability to dictate a trade. The Oilers management will trade this player when they view the value of his return warrants it versus not dealing out of a sense of spite that your post suggests.

The Oilers blew this kid's development but it is shared by a player who was unprepared mentally for the culture shock including language of North American life at 18 (not everyone is) and reality that NHL is not a development league for a raw skilled work-in-progress player. With an opportunity for do-over with the new new Holland and Tippett running Edmonton's show, JP's is master of his destiny opting for home cooking and paycheques. Running a sports entertainment business the Oilers have invested a pedigree high draft pick and $2.7 million in salary, a sunk cost in this player, so why panic and give him away. Instead wait and see if Puljujarvi's decision to play in Europe against lesser level competition pays off. The NHL system though allows for that to be when he turns 27 which would be in his peak performance years.

I don't think it take this long. But I do think the Oilers under Holland are right to wait this out for the right deal that they feel brings maximum value.

 

[Aerchon]

I meant that they don't have seven years left (anymore). That's what it sounded like in the post I quoted.

He's down to just under 6 years (season-wise) now (May). Five more after this one.

As per Phoenix, not 7, 6.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

As per Phoenix, not 7, 6.

It was me who said seven initially. I was kind of talking retroactively from when he bolted.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

Quite frankly, I don't see JP returning to the NHL. There isn't a single GM that comes to mind that would say, "yeah, I want that kid on my team". There's no mystery in the league about JP - the trials and tribulations got thoroughly covered in the media, etc. Even as a bet, he's a long shot and GMs don't give up assets / prospects that easily.
He's doing well in a sub-par league that pays him more than he could earn anywhere else / doing anything else. His game is hockey without structure...offence without having to think...and a schedule well short of 82 games.
He's gone.

 

[Llamamoto]

Quite frankly, I don't see JP returning to the NHL. There isn't a single GM that comes to mind that would say, "yeah, I want that kid on my team". There's no mystery in the league about JP - the trials and tribulations got thoroughly covered in the media, etc. Even as a bet, he's a long shot and GMs don't give up assets / prospects that easily.
He's doing well in a sub-par league that pays him more than he could earn anywhere else / doing anything else. His game is hockey without structure...offence without having to think...and a schedule well short of 82 games.
He's gone.

I'm sure every GM would be more than happy to have him on their team. The reason they aren't biting is because Ken Holland has a high asking price. Every GM in the league in their right mind would take Pulju for free. His upside is too high not to take a chance on him.

 

[OilerTitanFan]

So Jesse plays this year in Liiga (200 000€ per season). Then four seasons in KHL (800 000 € net per season). Then signs a contract to NHL as a free agent. I don´t think he will have to live on ramen with that career trajectory. He´ll be fine careerwise even if Oilers are bitter and dont trade him.

Ramen in vancouver is now $18.95 a bowl not including tax and tips. Not even filling enough for a 6'2 guy. He probably needs to add gyoza on the side. That sort of salary can only get him a decent one bedroom in Yaletown vancouver.

 

[OilerTitanFan]

I'm sure every GM would be more than happy to have him on their team. The reason they aren't biting is because Ken Holland has a high asking price. Every GM in the league in their right mind would take Pulju for free. His upside is too high not to take a chance on him.

Markus Naslund was hot garbage and the canucks gave penguins steve staois for Naslund when Naslund was said to be finished at the age of 23. How do you know what JP's upside truly is?

 

[Gordy Elbows]

I don't mean to quibble, Llama, but would you give me an example of such an eager GM? By the way, the coach should be able to be fluent in Finnish...not consider sending JP down to the AHL...and hope that a "rover" is exactly what a team needs.

 

[Mara]

Pulju played vs Russia in the Euro Hockey Tour today(Thursday) for Team Finland and managed to get his first ever point, an assist, in the men's national team. Coach said he was happy with Pulju's performance, he has a bit of work to do with the NT system as far as positioning goes (where have we heard that one before?) but no major issues. A solid performance for his first game in this system. Next two national team games are Saturday and Sunday.

 

[Barrsy]

Markus Naslund was hot garbage and the canucks gave penguins steve staois for Naslund when Naslund was said to be finished at the age of 23. How do you know what JP's upside truly is?

It wasn't Staios.It was another 1st rounder, Alex Stoynov (sp). If memory serves, Naslund also displayed some talent and a brain.

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

Markus Naslund was hot garbage and the canucks gave penguins steve staois for Naslund when Naslund was said to be finished at the age of 23. How do you know what JP's upside truly is?

That trade is just puzzling, considering Naslund had put up 52 points in 66 games with the Penguins during the season he was traded to the Canucks. It almost makes the Taylor Hall, Griffin Reinhart, Eberle, Caggiula, and Strome trades reasonable in comparison

 

[Bryanbryoil]

So Jesse plays this year in Liiga (200 000€ per season). Then four seasons in KHL (800 000 € net per season). Then signs a contract to NHL as a free agent. I don´t think he will have to live on ramen with that career trajectory. He´ll be fine careerwise even if Oilers are bitter and dont trade him.

No he won't but he had better hope that he doesn't have any career altering or threatening injuries or else it could very much so blow up in his face if he takes that path.

 

[BullLund]

No he won't but he had better hope that he doesn't have any career altering or threatening injuries or else it could very much so blow up in his face if he takes that path.

He won a gold for us (even if it was junior gold) and is probably going to be playing for the national hockey team, so he's going to be taken care of. Whether it's as a hockey player or just a guy who's involved with the game in some capacity.

Pulju strikes to me as a guy who plays for the love of the game rather than the money, anyway. He'd probably be playing in beer leagues for nothing, it's just that he turned out to be a talented enough player to earn an actual living off of what he loves to do.

The chances of him just sticking to a team and a fanbase that actually appreciates what he brings to the table, are much higher than with some other players, who are more concerned with the money aspect of it.

 

[McDrai]

Pulju strikes to me as a guy who plays for the love of the game rather than the money, anyway. He'd probably be playing in beer leagues for nothing, it's just that he turned out to be a talented enough player to earn an actual living off of what he loves to do.

Anyone who truly loves their craft will want to overcome any obstacles set in their path and constantly improve on their skill set . They aren’t avoidant of obstacles and do not seek out easier opportunities as they won’t grow in their abilities in the long run. In fact, they will just plateau as they aren’t challenging themselves.
If Puljujarvi truly loved the game, he would do everything it takes to succeed in the NHL and use all of the resources that the Oilers have provided him with. Instead he requested a trade and dithered off to a 3rd rate hockey league despite being given the opportunity to be an important secondary scorer on the Oilers. That doesn’t strike me as someone who “loves the game”. That indicates to me that he is a lazy individual who wants the easy way out.

 

[Jaska]

Bull...

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Anyone who truly loves their craft will want to overcome any obstacles set in their path and constantly improve on their skill set . They aren’t avoidant of obstacles and do not seek out easier opportunities as they won’t grow in their abilities in the long run. In fact, they will just plateau as they aren’t challenging themselves.
If Puljujarvi truly loved the game, he would do everything it takes to succeed in the NHL and use all of the resources that the Oilers have provided him with. Instead he requested a trade and dithered off to a 3rd rate hockey league despite being given the opportunity to be an important secondary scorer on the Oilers. That doesn’t strike me as someone who “loves the game”. That indicates to me that he is a lazy individual who wants the easy way out.

It sounds like someone who loves the lifestyle.

 

[BullLund]

Anyone who truly loves their craft will want to overcome any obstacles set in their path and constantly improve on their skill set . They aren’t avoidant of obstacles and do not seek out easier opportunities as they won’t grow in their abilities in the long run. In fact, they will just plateau as they aren’t challenging themselves.
If Puljujarvi truly loved the game, he would do everything it takes to succeed in the NHL and use all of the resources that the Oilers have provided him with. Instead he requested a trade and dithered off to a 3rd rate hockey league despite being given the opportunity to be an important secondary scorer on the Oilers. That doesn’t strike me as someone who “loves the game”. That indicates to me that he is a lazy individual who wants the easy way out.

Oilers screwed him and the media basically painted him as some sort of a handicapped person, and ultimately made him lose passion for the game by not allowing him to play any minutes. You cannot improve if you're not playing. Not surprised that he prefers actually playing hockey, to sitting in the box and being talked trash about in the media and forums and probably even by Oilers management/coaches, after all who really knows what went on backstage.

Puljujärvi is far from lazy and has always been known for his insane work ethic in the gym as well as his passion for hockey. What he didn't have a passion for, is school, which shows in his lack of English. Which obviously made it incredibly difficult for him to adjust to the NHL game.

Not everybody cares about the NHL circus, some guys just love playing hockey and in Finland he will get to play hockey without the circus. Plenty of players in Finland who barely played a game in NHL, yet became national heroes, because of their performances in Liiga as well as national games. A Finnish national team consisting of Liiga players, just won a world championship against teams that were stacked with NHL guys. People celebrate a KHL 4th line plug Marko Anttila way above dudes like Barkov or Rantanen in this country. Most people don't even know who the heck they are.

In Finnish casual hockey fan terms, NHL is just not seen as such a big deal.

Anyway, all I see is just an example of a Stanley Cup-starved fanbase putting impossible expectations on their teenage prospects. These guys are, at the end of the day, kids, and for some players it takes until their mid-20's to truly break out. Pretty much everybody who scouted Puljujärvi saw him as a raw talent who needed proper guidance, Oilers didn't provide that for him, so they're just better off letting him go and allowing him to receive that guidance elsewhere (which is currently happening in Kärpät, where he is supported, rather than demanded to be the salvation of a struggling franchise).

 

[Shathar]

Wish him all the best. It's his life and his career.
I still see him as a low-return asset, but who knows. If he's happy playing over there, good for him. We should be used to picking pretty terrible 1st round picks by now.

 

[Oil Dood]

I want Holland to have another chat with Treliving and ship Pullijarvi for Bennet and get Calgary to somehow retain salary. Come on Holland do it again!

 

[North Cole]

Oilers screwed him and the media basically painted him as some sort of a handicapped person, and ultimately made him lose passion for the game by not allowing him to play any minutes. You cannot improve if you're not playing. Not surprised that he prefers actually playing hockey, to sitting in the box and being talked trash about in the media and forums and probably even by Oilers management/coaches, after all who really knows what went on backstage.

Puljujärvi is far from lazy and has always been known for his insane work ethic in the gym as well as his passion for hockey. What he didn't have a passion for, is school, which shows in his lack of English. Which obviously made it incredibly difficult for him to adjust to the NHL game.

Not everybody cares about the NHL circus, some guys just love playing hockey and in Finland he will get to play hockey without the circus. Plenty of players in Finland who barely played a game in NHL, yet became national heroes, because of their performances in Liiga as well as national games. A Finnish national team consisting of Liiga players, just won a world championship against teams that were stacked with NHL guys. People celebrate a KHL 4th line plug Marko Anttila way above dudes like Barkov or Rantanen in this country. Most people don't even know who the heck they are.

In Finnish casual hockey fan terms, NHL is just not seen as such a big deal.

Anyway, all I see is just an example of a Stanley Cup-starved fanbase putting impossible expectations on their teenage prospects. These guys are, at the end of the day, kids, and for some players it takes until their mid-20's to truly break out. Pretty much everybody who scouted Puljujärvi saw him as a raw talent who needed proper guidance, Oilers didn't provide that for him, so they're just better off letting him go and allowing him to receive that guidance elsewhere (which is currently happening in Kärpät, where he is supported, rather than demanded to be the salvation of a struggling franchise).

Then Poolparty needs to fire his agent and not worry about trying to come back to the NHL. He didn't need to be the salvation, he just needed to do better than 37 points in 139 games and learn a system. If he didn't want to come back, he wouldn't have signed his deal with an out-clause. He would have just signed a straight-up one year deal and gotten more money from Karpat.

You might not care about the NHL circus, but it's a hilariously poor financial decision to throw millions away because you "don't care about the NHL circus". To me, he has pride and probably feels like we gave him an unfair opportunity (not for me to decide if that's true or not), so I wonder how he will feel if we don't trade his rights and block him from coming back to the NHL for three more years (unless he comes back to us). He's about to learn a thing or two about leverage and will get some time to reflect on your belief that he doesn't care about the NHL. Players are allowed to fold up their tent and go home, but they are in for a rude awakening if they think they can come back and do whatever they want. Him and his agent can make all the noise they want, but it won't get easier for him.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Then Poolparty needs to fire his agent and not worry about trying to come back to the NHL. He didn't need to be the salvation, he just needed to do better than 37 points in 139 games and learn a system. If he didn't want to come back, he wouldn't have signed his deal with an out-clause. He would have just signed a straight-up one year deal and gotten more money from Karpat.

You might not care about the NHL circus, but it's a hilariously poor financial decision to throw millions away because you "don't care about the NHL circus". To me, he has pride and probably feels like we gave him an unfair opportunity (not for me to decide if that's true or not), so I wonder how he will feel if we don't trade his rights and block him from coming back to the NHL for three more years (unless he comes back to us). He's about to learn a thing or two about leverage and will get some time to reflect on your belief that he doesn't care about the NHL. Players are allowed to fold up their tent and go home, but they are in for a rude awakening if they think they can come back and do whatever they want. Him and his agent can make all the noise they want, but it won't get easier for him.

They control his rights for six more hockey seasons (May/25).

 

[nabob]

Anyone who truly loves their craft will want to overcome any obstacles set in their path and constantly improve on their skill set . They aren’t avoidant of obstacles and do not seek out easier opportunities as they won’t grow in their abilities in the long run. In fact, they will just plateau as they aren’t challenging themselves.
If Puljujarvi truly loved the game, he would do everything it takes to succeed in the NHL and use all of the resources that the Oilers have provided him with. Instead he requested a trade and dithered off to a 3rd rate hockey league despite being given the opportunity to be an important secondary scorer on the Oilers. That doesn’t strike me as someone who “loves the game”. That indicates to me that he is a lazy individual who wants the easy way out.

So unless you strive to be the most competitive at something then you don’t enjoy doing it? Weird take.