Player Discussion Jesse Puljujarvi Part 10: Connor's RW

[TheNumber4]

I think JP is a perfect player to look at the different analytics for. The gap between what his point totals show and his impact on the game is quite immense.

His forechecking and two-way ability are top notch. He is pretty much the complete package right now and you can put him out in all situations and he will add value to the shift. When you look at his "fancy stat" metrics for different categories, he shows very well in many of them.

The scary thing for the rest of the league should be the fact JP is still relatively raw in the NHL and already looks this good. Once he finds out ways to take advantage of D and his goal-scoring increases... watch out. I do not think its a stretch to say he could get up to Blake Wheeler level of player

His complete game has been a revelation. He’s probably a more complete player than Laine at this point. Once the offense starts coming with more regularity, we’ll have a superstar in the making.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

What on Earth was Stutzle thinking on that play. heh. Thats a rookie look. Panicked, did the first thing and passed the puck right into his own slot, off Nuge and to Ennis who scored. yeah, good positioning by Nuge going to the net, and Ennis being there. But without the monstrous effort by Pulju none of it happens.

Hope the line gets going, we need that and we need Nuge dialed into the best he can be. He's not giving the team his all.

But I loved the goal, all had a part. Good chaos goal and the line is well equipped to be getting some more of these. They pressure very well.

Jesse is a difference maker and can make a difference so many ways. With his skating, his size, his physicality, his work in the trenches and in front of the goal, his passing and his shooting. I said years ago that I saw a player that would challenge Leon for the 2nd best player on the team. That was before Leon decided that he was going to be one of the best players in the league mind you! But even back then I saw a higher upside than Nuge and you know that I am a Nuge fan. IMO Jesse will be our 3rd most important forward and one could argue that outside of PP and PK usage he already is. So what we need Nuge to be is a player that is at least close to being as impactful as Jesse offensively at ES (numbers wise anyway) and a better showing on the PP before Jesse ends up taking his or the net front spot soon.

As for Stuetzel, that was a rookie mistake. Kid is going to be a star though, what a stud he will be in a few years time.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Drai and Pulju have physical tools that Nuge could only dream of. That said I would also like to see more out of RNH and to my eye he has been looking better at center. We'll see how the next handful of games go. That said if we move on from RNH who centers the 2nd line? What is their acquisition cost? Unless it's Holloway we have no one remotely close in the system to replace him even when he's not at his best.

Its rare in recent seasons that he has been Center. So arguably the required replacement is a winger. If we get a reasonable scoring winger, and Pulju continues his climb, that gives us two elite Centers, and two elite wingers, and problem solved. Bottomsix is easier to take care of and its easier to get but Jujhar is taking Khaira that presently, excuse pun.

If the price is right keep Nuge. But if they want an increase its a non starter imo. Has to be the right pay and terms. I would even start off with 5M offer and go to 5.5M, on say a 2-3yr deal. No way I'm giving another 6.

Back to this thread though is every game Pulju is making a statement of being the 3rd most important forward in this lineup. Going forward he will be. With or without Nuge.

Nuge could've been a great player.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Its rare in recent seasons that he has been Center. So arguably the required replacement is a winger. If we get a reasonable scoring winger, and Pulju continues his climb, that gives us two elite Centers, and two elite wingers, and problem solved. Bottomsix is easier to take care of and its easier to get but Jujhar is taking Khaira that presently, excuse pun.

If the price is right keep Nuge. But if they want an increase its a non starter imo. Has to be the right pay and terms. I would even start off with 5M offer and go to 5.5M, on say a 2-3yr deal. No way I'm giving another 6.

Back to this thread though is every game Pulju is making a statement of being the 3rd most important forward in this lineup. Going forward he will be. With or without Nuge.

Nuge could've been a great player.

Then you have to split up McDrai, that's the unfortunate part. It's nice at least having that option.

I wonder how much Nuge's shoulder injury and continued bullying by the Flames effected his upside? Either way he can still be a very good player, just that we were fortunate to get a couple of impact players with lower picks than he was.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Jesse is a difference maker and can make a difference so many ways. With his skating, his size, his physicality, his work in the trenches and in front of the goal, his passing and his shooting. I said years ago that I saw a player that would challenge Leon for the 2nd best player on the team. That was before Leon decided that he was going to be one of the best players in the league mind you! But even back then I saw a higher upside than Nuge and you know that I am a Nuge fan. IMO Jesse will be our 3rd most important forward and one could argue that outside of PP and PK usage he already is. So what we need Nuge to be is a player that is at least close to being as impactful as Jesse offensively at ES (numbers wise anyway) and a better showing on the PP before Jesse ends up taking his or the net front spot soon.

As for Stuetzel, that was a rookie mistake. Kid is going to be a star though, what a stud he will be in a few years time.

Yeah, I had blinders on regarding Pulju and like I said because of the prior Yakupov debacle. I'll stuff some more crow in my mouth. heh gladly.

I always like physical players that use their size. Jesse just wasn't doing that nearly enough before, but I guess in retrospect because of his hip which seems more than fine now. Love the reverse hit on Tkachuk. Ratboy still feeling that sting.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Yeah, I had blinders on regarding Pulju and like I said because of the prior Yakupov debacle. I'll stuff some more crow in my mouth. heh gladly.

I always like physical players that use their size. Jesse just wasn't doing that nearly enough before, but I guess in retrospect because of his hip which seems more than fine now. Love the reverse hit on Tkachuk. Ratboy still feeling that sting.

Yup, health and confidence are so massive in sports. Thank God (literally) that Holland didn't trade him for a dud prospect or pick.

 

[DropTheGloves]

If Pizza Boy (no I refuse to call him the other name) had any puck luck whatsoever he'd have 10+ goals by now and double the points. This version of him is a useful player and would get 40-50 points in a normal season.

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

Yeah, I had blinders on regarding Pulju and like I said because of the prior Yakupov debacle. I'll stuff some more crow in my mouth. heh gladly.

I always like physical players that use their size. Jesse just wasn't doing that nearly enough before, but I guess in retrospect because of his hip which seems more than fine now. Love the reverse hit on Tkachuk. Ratboy still feeling that sting.

That's a fair observation to have made; I thought he would end up as a very good third liner based on his first year, but he's starting to show that he can be much more than that. The reverse hits that he's throwing (as you pointed out, were non-existent and most likely due to hip issues) are an incredible weapon in a player's arsenal and I can't remember the last Oiler that could do it with such effectiveness.
His pick-pocketing ability, combined with his relentless forechecking tenacity and sheer size, reach, and speed make him a dangerous player and a pain in the ass to play against. In my head, he was going to toil away on the fourth line and lose his job to Marody before the year started, and I'm also happy to eat crow on that assumption

 

[missinthejets]

The way he's figuring out that he can impose his will physically on the league is really something to see. He's a real big kid just figuring out how strong he really is and it's fun to watch. Once he is really comfortable with his size he's going to be a lot less awkward at times and the points will come.

 

[Aceboogie]

His complete game has been a revelation. He’s probably a more complete player than Laine at this point. Once the offense starts coming with more regularity, we’ll have a superstar in the making.

Agreed. If he had no improvement from his play right now, I would have no issues with him on the top line for the foreseeable. His floor is a essentially a good top line complentary winger who can play a 200 foot game

Any improvement from here pushes him into a "very good" forward category

Him, McDavid and Draisaitl will be an embarassment of riches soon. Probably the best 3 forwards on a team since Crosby/Malkin/Hossa

I want to hold off on any Hossa comparables as it is way, way ealry. But if he continues his upward progression, who knows. Maybe Hossa lite lite

 

[Whyme]

A few games with less results for Pulju. I haven't seen the games but it seems he's been playing well, which is positive as it seems his basic level has gotten pretty steady. On the other hand goals would probably give another boost so hopefully that'll change soon.

I guess it's fair to say he's been unlucky in the last games, two posts in the last few games and close to scoring at the end of the last game, right? I checked the highlights and it showed the chance just before the end of the game from only one angle, but this is what the EJ wrote:

Then with Oilers trailing 4-3 he was front and centre in the team’s 3 best chances to tie it up, all in the last 3 minutes and change. Stopped by Markstrom on a diving attempt to jam home a rebound, then had his perfectly-placed shot foiled by the shaft of the netminder’s stick in the final 5 seconds.

Again, I'm looking at how things go patiently, but it's nice he was used at the end of the game. One thing I know from his career outside of the NHL he has this burning desire to score in those crucial moments. I'd really love to see him with McDavid and Drai as I honestly believe he'd be a great fit and of course there's the PP usage I'd like to see. But other than that no big complaints, the team has been pretty strong and Pulju's playing at a level in which one can feel a lot of good things will be coming.

Oh and by the way, I have no idea how Ennis has been playing (at least in some games obviously not too good from what I read here), but he did a really nice job at the end of the game. If it'd been a goal he'd basically been the one behind it.

 

[PulYou]

His underlying stats are good although no success in contributing on the scoreboard. This is Edmonton Journal’s stats on grade A chances +/- per 15. He is right there after the big guns McDavid and Draisaitl and first among the wingers.

 

[tellermine]

He scores again.
Is he at second line?
It would be nice if they can start doing it.

 

[Del Preston]

He scores again.
Is he at second line?
It would be nice if they can start doing it.

He's back on the 1st line with McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

He scores again.
Is he at second line?
It would be nice if they can start doing it.

First line, and occasionally on the PP with the top unit standing infront of the net, which is how his goal happened tonight on a great deflection.

 

[Kolja]

Great game tonight!

 

[Whyme]

I've been hoping to see Pulju on the PP as the shooter's/QB position, but he seems to work well in the net front position too. His PP usage has been low, but his goal scoring has been promising:


2016-2017: average PP time 0:49 - PPG/60 the 3rd highest of the team
2017-2018: average PP time: 0:44 - PPG/60 the 2nd highest of the team
2018-2019: average PP time: 0:26 - no PP goals
2020-2021: average PP time: 1:16 - PPG/60 the 2nd highest of the team

Again, I'm not making this bigger than it is, but to me these stats show that he's been using his little PP time fine. The only exception is his 3rd year, but that was a difficult year that lasted just half a season and with that little PP time his line didn't even get barely any time in the offensive zone.

Like earlier, the sample size is still small so we're not talking about big minutes or too many goals here. His PP time is still just about one fourth of what the big guns have had so it'll be interesting to see if he can keep this rate with more PP time. But for the time he's had nobody can say he hasn't produced. Well someone always can I guess.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

His boot is so big you’d think it’s photoshopped

 

[McDNicks17]

Like the great poet 2 Chainz said, "he got a big booty, so I call him Big Booty".

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I really think he can be a Holmstrom type that just parks himself in front of the net. That was an excellent tip he made yesterday.

 

[Fourier]

I really think he can be a Holmstrom type that just parks himself in front of the net. That was an excellent tip he made yesterday.

I wondr why he's not getting more pp time in a rotation with Chiasson/Neal. The kid has pretty good touch around the net and he is almost impossible to move when he sticks the boot out.

 

[Whyme]

I wondr why he's not getting more pp time in a rotation with Chiasson/Neal. The kid has pretty good touch around the net and he is almost impossible to move when he sticks the boot out.

I really think Pulju's developed a lot in some key areas that a net presence needs. He finally got an easy point from the assist, I often felt they never seem to happen to him, but he did a terrific job in his goal. What I like is how he lifts the opponents stick and slides very quickly to a free shooting position. It's something one didn't see much if at all in his first NHL visit.

There's been talk about the length of his stick, but the long reach helped in the dive. Like I wrote his PPG/60 is the 2nd highest of the team and he will stay in the Oilers for years to come, which probably isn't the case with Chiasson or Neal, so hopefully he'll be able to steal that place to himself. With that kind of play it should happen soon enough.

I also have to say that this goal was another example of what McDavid just is. The way he skated suddenly draw players to him and created room for the others, just brilliant job from him. Once again.

 

[Aceboogie]

Great defensive metrics

 

[Broberg Speed]

Prototypical winger with size that does everything well. If we had another top six winger like Jesse we would terrorize the NHL.

 

[Kaptah2]

Loved to see Jesse completely flatten a Jet's dman in front of the net. And he did it twice.