Player Discussion Jesse Puljujarvi Part 9: 98 NO MORE! JERSEY NUMBER NERDS REJOICE!

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Whyme

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Nov 3, 2019
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Yakupov was just a mess out there. Fast hands and a good shot, but positionally very poor and guilty of constantly over-handling the puck. Jesse I think is figuring out that he can hang with McDavid pretty easily, he just has to keep his touches on the puck very brief and use his size + strength.

While it's of course a lesser league Pulju was often incredible at keeping the puck in the FEL. Quick passes work with McDavid and what you described sounds good, but I think in the future there'll be times when Pulju will protect the puck with his long reach and tie opponents to him and then let McDavid do his magic.
I wasn't surprised Pulju can look dominant in the NHL, but I didn't know when it would start to show. I give a lot of credit to Tippett and players like McDavid and Drai. I've admired the way they've handled this, pulled just the right strings and certainly made Pulju feel comfortable.
 

Messrules11

6 Cups, elbows up.
Nov 23, 2018
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I never liked how Puli left here but he’s back now and looks better then I thought he would. His puck control still needs some work but he’s brought his lunch pail and is driving the net. Hope it continues.
 

Konami McDavid

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May 1, 2015
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I made a sort of shift by shift video of Jesse's game last night, but it got flagged for copyright infringement on YouTube, so here it is straight from my Google Drive - hope it works.

You might have to click on it, I don't know for sure how it will show. Perhaps it will open in a new tab or window.

Thanks for this!!!

A couple things I noticed;

- To McDavid's point. JP is playing inside a lot. He sticks right in the high scoring area, and only moves out to support the play or retrieve a puck. Then he heads right back in there
- He is screening the goalie when the puck is up high, then when it goes down low, he moves out just a bit to open up for a pass. He is generally open and always ready
- I saw him communicate in the defensive zone making sure others were aware of player movement and soft areas. This is huge, and has been missing at times
- He is battling for pucks
- He works hard in the defensive zone to force turnovers.
- He is hard on the boards when he is forcing a player off the puck
- He doesn't complain for a call. I hope the refs took note because they looked off a few obvious infractions and he just kept playing
- If McD's pass is just a little farther from the goalie, Jesse buries that one. No knock on McD of course, but that would have been sweet.
- JP's positioning in all zones was spectacular. Last night his hockey IQ looked great.
- JP's skating looks clumsy but it is not clumsy at all. He has some very nice edge work (such as the drive that set up Nuge's goal). He only looks awkward due to his size and freakishly long arms

Just a couple things to tidy up (super minor)
- He needs to get nastier when a player has him against the boards trying to get him off the puck
- A couple times he floated over to the LW during zone exits, and the RD did not have him there for an outlet (caused Bear to ice it once)
- Nuge needs to trust him a bit more. I may be wrong, but I felt Nuge looked him off a few times and tried a lower probability play
- He needs to smile more!!
 

HockeyHistorian

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Mar 17, 2015
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There are a few reasons why Jesse is my absolute favorite hockey player:

First, he is just so fun to watch when he is on his game. He is like a hurricane wreaking chaos all over the ice, all the while making nifty little passes and shooting whenever he gets the chance. He is, to me, the most entertaining player I've ever watched because he makes stuff happen all the time when his motor is firing at all cylinders. There's that element of chaotic unpredictability to him that makes me stay at the edge of my seat.

Second, his evidently clear love of the game. When he is feeling it, you can see it on his face.


Third, he seems to be a really down to earth, fun loving guy on a personal level as well.
jesse-puljujarvi.jpg



I hope he only gets better and doesn't lose that joy of playing ever again.
 

HockeyHistorian

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Mar 17, 2015
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Sorry for the double post, but I think my previous post was too fanboyish to include my shift by shift video from the game against the Canucks on 14th. Very good game even from the third line:



EDIT: If only my laptop could handle screen capture without that crackling audio...

EDIT 2: I uploaded the shift by shift video of the last game to DailyMotion, should be a little more easier to watch it now.

 
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Panda Bear

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Apr 2, 2010
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No. What did they wrong?

They were 100% transparent in telling us his english was a major crutch. Then he showed up the next season no better or immersed, and admitted he didn't put any effort in. He also admitted he wasn't a very goid teammate b/c of it.

So what exactly does your reality think the team did wrong? Not gift him pp time for NOT doing his homework??
I don't care if someone else responded to this already.

The Oilers under Chiarelli failed to:
(1) have him live in a stable situation with someone in the organization rather than by himself;
(2) have him enrolled in English lessons; and
(3) provide a consistent development template.

(3) was muddied further by McLellan, who was not an appropriate coaching personality for Puljujarvi (e.g. McLellan's penchant for not communicating with players and letting assistants handle it or simply having players blow in the wind. See Pakarinen and others for more.)
 

Paralyzer008

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Jan 30, 2008
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I don't care if someone else responded to this already.

The Oilers under Chiarelli failed to:
(1) have him live in a stable situation with someone in the organization rather than by himself;
(2) have him enrolled in English lessons; and
(3) provide a consistent development template.

(3) was muddied further by McLellan, who was not an appropriate coaching personality for Puljujarvi (e.g. McLellan's penchant for not communicating with players and letting assistants handle it or simply having players blow in the wind. See Pakarinen and others for more.)

Also I will never forget when Puljujarvi showed an inch of confidence and it was taken away from him for a bad reason.

Hitchcock gave him a first line assignment vs Tampa Bay with RNH/McDavid and he made a great play for an assist immediately.

Later in the game, Nurse rifled a pass at him in an awkward spot, leading to a Kucherov breakaway and goal. Hitch blamed Jesse and he was taken off the top line after that. He was never the same player for the rest of the season and Hitch never gave him another chance. After that line switch, Tampa Bay destroyed us and Kucherov picked us apart.

Hitch was absolutely the wrong coach for Puljujarvi.
 
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That Habs Fan

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Nov 29, 2008
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Verrrrrrrry tempted to drop Trochek for Pulju in my pool...between the Hurricanes constantly having games delayed and him getting bumped up to McDavid's line, I think it would be a great move. Don't have much confidence he'll stick on that line or be productive for long though, we shall see!
 

Aho and the Bunnaman

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Will be tuning in tonight! (yes, I also picked up Puljujarvi in yahoo...) I'm seeing Wheeler comps...is a consistent 60pt player with good shot and hit totals a reasonable expectation (staying on McDavid's line of course), or can he be more? (PPGish...)
 

Tobias Kahun

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Oct 3, 2017
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Will be tuning in tonight! (yes, I also picked up Puljujarvi in yahoo...) I'm seeing Wheeler comps...is a consistent 60pt player with good shot and hit totals a reasonable expectation (staying on McDavid's line of course), or can he be more? (PPGish...)
PPG depends a lot on power play usage.

If he turns into a 50 point player that’s a huge win for the oilers
 

Bryanbryoil

Pray For Ukraine
Sep 13, 2004
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Will be tuning in tonight! (yes, I also picked up Puljujarvi in yahoo...) I'm seeing Wheeler comps...is a consistent 60pt player with good shot and hit totals a reasonable expectation (staying on McDavid's line of course), or can he be more? (PPGish...)

I think that his upside is hard to peg right now TBH. Playing with Connor means a boost in points obviously. As he gains more confidence and pots a few goals we should see a bit more of what he is capable of offensively. If he keeps his level of play up I think that is reasonable especially if he starts getting more PP time with the top unit. This is a player that has had confidence issues in the past, so keeping him confident and happy IMO is half the battle to him reaching his potential which IMO would be a ppg winger if everything clicks for him.
 

Canovin

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I'd say he's .8PPG if he's playing with McDavid AND RNH plus PP time. Always been a fan of his but I would like to see more puck control and less flubbing the puck before I can he's PPG with those criteria's
 

Bryanbryoil

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I'd say he's .8PPG if he's playing with McDavid AND RNH plus PP time. Always been a fan of his but I would like to see more puck control and less flubbing the puck before I can he's PPG with those criteria's

IMO he will get some points simply because he is big, fast and has a great reach. Ie. poking pucks on scrambles to McDavid or into the net.
 

Canovin

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IMO he will get some points simply because he is big, fast and has a great reach. Ie. poking pucks on scrambles to McDavid or into the net.
Those type of players like Maroon and Kassian being straddled on McDavid line really only touch .5PPG. PPG is not an easy feat. We have 2 guys who can easily do that but it's still hard to reach. A lot has to go right for Pulju to reach that milestone and to do it consistently year after year is even harder.
 

Bryanbryoil

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Those type of players like Maroon and Kassian being straddled on McDavid line really only touch .5PPG. PPG is not an easy feat. We have 2 guys who can easily do that but it's still hard to reach. A lot has to go right for Pulju to reach that milestone and to do it consistently year after year is even harder.

Pulju is much more talented than Kassian and Maroon. He is also a much better skater. That said he will have to keep his effort consistent and continue to gel with Connor and Nuge and grow his game to get there.
 

bobbythebrain

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Jul 30, 2016
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I don't care if someone else responded to this already.

The Oilers under Chiarelli failed to:
(1) have him live in a stable situation with someone in the organization rather than by himself;
(2) have him enrolled in English lessons; and
(3) provide a consistent development template.

(3) was muddied further by McLellan, who was not an appropriate coaching personality for Puljujarvi (e.g. McLellan's penchant for not communicating with players and letting assistants handle it or simply having players blow in the wind. See Pakarinen and others for more.)



1) The Oilers can't force anyone's living conditions. They can only suggest. Just like they did w/ McD and even arranged it, but McD told them to go f themselves and did what he wanted, against their massive massive massive dissaproval.
2) They can't force schooling on him. Again, they can suggest, but ultimately the player has to commit to go. The Oil also are not responsible to fly a tutor out to Finland in the offseason and have him sit outside Jessie's house begging him to learn his ABCs. development happens over the summer. Players don't and aren't forced to take classes ontop of practice and gamedays. So not sure where you think these "magical English classes were supposed to take place?" 6pm? 7pm?
3) Do you know what an exit interview is? Do you think the Oilers skipped Jesse's??????
Everyone from Yak, McD, Drai, Maroon, Nurse, Bouchard and Bear have admitted the Oil gave them constant templates and access.
But somehow you came to a conclusion that the Oilers decided to NOT spend a single effort in a development gameplan for their #4 pick, highly prolific WJC, potential powerforward. Is that what you're peddling?

Edit:
 
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Whyme

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Nov 3, 2019
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I think that his upside is hard to peg right now TBH. Playing with Connor means a boost in points obviously. As he gains more confidence and pots a few goals we should see a bit more of what he is capable of offensively. If he keeps his level of play up I think that is reasonable especially if he starts getting more PP time with the top unit. This is a player that has had confidence issues in the past, so keeping him confident and happy IMO is half the battle to him reaching his potential which IMO would be a ppg winger if everything clicks for him.

I still think his ceiling is so high that I don't even dare to say it aloud. I'm certain there's still a lot of potential for improvement. BUT at the same time I'd emphasize what you wrote. This season it'll be a challenge to manage to play at the level we just saw consistently, especially with all that energy and grinding. If he can do that he'll score nice points and help the team immensly even without getting the rest of his potential out. If he starts scoring goals himself that'll push him further so we'll see.
 
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oilynutz

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Dec 30, 2007
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You have to love the way Puljujarvi has looked since returning to the team. Consistent confident effort displayed shift after shift. Is there a stat that keeps track of 50/50 puck battles? Jesse comes out of those battles with the puck way more often then not, plus him throwing around his body whenever the opportunity arises.

Like Draisaitl alluded to in his interview, the sky is the limit for Jesse, great skating, huge, good IQ in the offensive and defensive zone, battles for every puck and my personal favorite attribute is his infectious personality. You can't help but cheer for him whenever he is out there.

Puljujarvi will be a difference maker for this team, it may have taken a little longer then impatient oiler fans were willing to wait, but it is looking like it's finally here.
 
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Arpeggio

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Jul 20, 2006
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If Puljujarvi hits 60 points I'll be happy. If he has a strong season I'll expect more, but right now anything over a 40 point player is a win in my eyes.
 
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