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

[tellermine]

Kid should be in third line.
Playing his game with no over pressure.
After he starts producing in there. Well he should stay there if third line scores!

 

[urho]

For the last three games, I think he's regressed a bit. He was oozing confidence in his first game with McDavid but now I think he hesitates a bit too much with the puck. His pressure game is still top notch but I don't think it's a bad idea to play him on the 3rd line for a change. He's obviously a bit frustrated with himself right now.

 

[Little Fury]

Kid should be in third line.
Playing his game with no over pressure.
After he starts producing in there. Well he should stay there if third line scores!

No.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Any idea why Pulju was benched late in the game? Hope some reporter asks Tippett for the reason, I thought Jesse got better as the game went on, and had a great shift just before getting benched.

Don't read too much into it. The Oilers HAD to get the game into OT, this couldn't be another one where they give up the winning goal late. The Oilers, with McDrai are pretty much expected to W games in OT so it was huge just to get the game into OT. Its no knock on Pulju, who has been better than RNH almost any night. Pulju is having trouble with the puck in scoring positions but I suspect that is nerves and him having trouble relaxing here. Overall he's been a reasonable energy player.

Have to say as well it kind of bugged me a few games ago when Pulju and Nuge both batted at the same puck and Nuge immediately called it his goal. Not the best of looks imo. I'm not even convinced it wasn't Pulju that either scored or hit Nuges stick on that play. But Nuge was instantly taking credit for the goal and couldn't wait to get to the bench for fistpumps. Pulju looked as if he scored the goal. just saying, Not the first time Nuge has done this either.

 

[Kaptah2]

Cult of hockey's take:

"1.Much debate after the game about “the swap”. I just saw the coach shortening his bench late in the 3rd Period. And Josh Archibald-for-Jesse Puljujarvi was just substituting in a veteran player that the Coach knows he can trust at a critical juncture of the game. After all, the Oilers have played 6 consecutive games where they’ve been tied in the 3rd Period, and have lost 3 of the last 4 of those. To my eye, Jesse Puljujarvi is playing fine. His return this season has been a success that seemed impossible just 6 months ago. But he was a little less than fine last night. Puljujarvi’s lack of production even while on the club’s top line the last while (2 assists in 10 games) can’t be ignored. It’s a valuable reminder that this is a hard game and the NHL is a tough, results-driven league. Much tougher than SM-liiga. Its also evidence that you can’t “just put anybody with McDavid” and they’ll instantly succeed. So many of Jesse’s loyal fans pre-ordained his promotion to the 1st line. The swap will have stung a little. Well…
Before that promotion (which he earned) I said publicly that I liked Jesse Puljujarvi on the 3rd line just fine. There, Jesse could just focus on being consistent without all the responsibility, pressure and glare that comes with flanking McDavid. I stand by that statement. And I say it because it’s in everybody’s best interests if Puljujarvi succeeds here.
But I also think that we should all relax a little. The substitution was largely circumstantial. And I won’t be surprised if he’s back on 97’s line Sunday.
Remember…a prospect’s path rarely if ever travels in a straight line."

 

[Drivesaitl]

I had to rewatch all his shifts to see how he played. Apart from the second goal against he played well by eye and according to fancy stats as well. Still no points, but he certainly is tilting the ice. I really would have liked to known what the coach was thinking there, but no one asked at the media avail.

Its just a vet coach shortenng the bench at a critical juncture. Trust me if Tippett doesn't do that, and the Oilers end up giving up the winning goal late, everybody is calling for the coaches head again. He's on a bit of thin ice. It was a huge game the Oilers had to have. The tendency in this thread is to view decisions from the perspective of Pulju specifically, rather than the team. The team needed the W.

 

[tellermine]

No.

Why not?

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Its just a vet coach shortenng the bench at a critical juncture. Trust me if Tippett doesn't do that, and the Oilers end up giving up the winning goal late, everybody is calling for the coaches head again. He's on a bit of thin ice. It was a huge game the Oilers had to have. The tendency in this thread is to view decisions from the perspective of Pulju specifically, rather than the team. The team needed the W.

I get what you're saying, but I just think it was a pretty bad decision by Tippett. Obviously Kassian and Archibald have seniority, but Pulju hasn't been a defensive liability by any metric and has been pretty great at keeping the puck in the offensive zone. No need to blow this out of proportion at this point though, few shifts here or there, no matter.

 

[Whyme]

Have to say as well it kind of bugged me a few games ago when Pulju and Nuge both batted at the same puck and Nuge immediately called it his goal. Not the best of looks imo. I'm not even convinced it wasn't Pulju that either scored or hit Nuges stick on that play. But Nuge was instantly taking credit for the goal and couldn't wait to get to the bench for fistpumps. Pulju looked as if he scored the goal. just saying, Not the first time Nuge has done this either.

I noticed this too, but didn't dare to talk about it. I'm pretty sure Pulju said after the game something like it might've been his goal or not, but it was a goal anyway. Players usually know if they weren't the last ones to touch the puck and I'm certain Pulju would say if it wasn't his goal. Of course there's exceptions when they honestly don't know, but Pulju's reaction after the game looked like he scored the goal.

In this last game Pulju's first period wasn't too good. No mistakes, but he didn't play with the style that got him promoted to the top line. But he played better and better as the game progresses and had some great shifts before he was benched.

This is just a theory: Nuge is a kind of a slowish player whose strengths are elsewhere. He maybe needs two fast guys to bring the best out of him. So if McDavid has one of his rare off nights Pulju's great game may not be enough for the line do do very well. Or if Pulju isn't playing his fastest hockey (like at the beginning of this game) Nuge won't shine. But yesterday Nuge couldn't really find his role even when McDavid was playing great and Pulju got his game fixed.

 

[Whyme]

I get what you're saying, but I just think it was a pretty bad decision by Tippett. Obviously Kassian and Archibald have seniority, but Pulju hasn't been a defensive liability by any metric and has been pretty great at keeping the puck in the offensive zone. No need to blow this out of proportion at this point though, few shifts here or there, no matter.

I agree with you, but to some extent with @Drivesaitl 's words. I also thought the timing was a bit odd as Pulju had seemingly got his game fixed and in the last shifts he looked more confident than earlier. Then again apart from Archibald's chance the first line seemed to be in trouble in almost every shift after Pulju was taken off from that line.

But it's professional hockey and sometimes coaches make tough looking decisions, I believe Tippett is a guy who can explain if needed and tell Pulju what he expects from him. I think it's just what Pulju did in his last shifts, but this time it went like this. There's also a (maybe small) chance that he wanted to rest Pulju and was planning to put him to OT if McDrai doesn't score.

 

[Little Fury]

Why not?

Because his results on the top line are very good, he's just snake bit. The points will come, but they won't if you staple him to a third line that is playing very poorly.

 

[Aerchon]

JP is obviously choking on grade AAA chances. Otherwise his play has been good to great. He actually reminds me of Yamamoto prior to his breakout last year. Yamamoto was exactly the same unable to hit numerous gimmies.

JP just has to elevate the puck a bit and he would already have 2-3.

I hope the coach keeps giving him opportunity on the top line and top PP till he burries one.

 

[Whyme]

First of all I want to say I'm not trying to find excuses or blame everyone else but...

It bothers me slightly that in the 2nd half it was clear McDavid was fine as usual and Pulju had finally got his game back on track, while Nuge was still pretty much at his worst, but yet it was Pulju who got benched. Like I said after that, apart from one great chance, the line started to stay much more on their own end. It would've been nice to see what would've happened if he'd put say Archibald or maybe Kahun (and thus reunited DRY) with McDavid and Pulju.

I'm not protesting that Pulju was the one to sit, but I thought that decision didn't reflect what was going on at the moment and in the end it killed the momentum the first line was finally creating. It's almost like Tippett didn't dare to demote/bench Nuge. Again, this is not against Nuge and I'm only talking about one particular game and what happened in the 2nd half of it. I understand they maybe appreciated Nuge's experience, but it looked like one player was colder than others but he was kept on that line. Fortunately it didn't end up costing points.

 

[PulYou]

I for one can’t really tell, but it was at least a good set up from Pulju.

 

[LTIR]

Puljujarvi was out on a shift with top line with less than 4 mins to go in 3rd where he almost got around Holl to the net.
If you want to call it being " benched" then he was only benched for 1 shift. Nothing to worry about here. Archi was rewarded for good game.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Puljujarvi was out on a shift with top line with less than 4 mins to go in 3rd where he almost got around Holl to the net.
If you want to call it being " benched" then he was only benched for 1 shift. Nothing to worry about here. Archi was rewarded for good game.

Archibald has shown he can finish.

 

[LTIR]

Archibald has shown he can finish.

Yes, and that is why he was promoted for the one shift.
He has played with Nuge-McD last season too. Good enough in small stretches but thats not his home.

 

[Whyme]

Puljujarvi was out on a shift with top line with less than 4 mins to go in 3rd where he almost got around Holl to the net.
If you want to call it being " benched" then he was only benched for 1 shift. Nothing to worry about here. Archi was rewarded for good game.

I'm sure he was benched for several shifts. In those shifts the pressure was on the own end almost constantly so maybe you didn't pay as much attention to it. David Staples also wrote about Pulju that "he was benched for a few shifts late in the game with the score tied" so I wasn't the only one seeing it like that

 

[McTonyBrar]

For the last three games, I think he's regressed a bit. He was oozing confidence in his first game with McDavid but now I think he hesitates a bit too much with the puck. His pressure game is still top notch but I don't think it's a bad idea to play him on the 3rd line for a change. He's obviously a bit frustrated with himself right now.

I feel like Jesse defers too much to McDavid instead of playing his game. It's something he needs to work on correcting. Don't always defer. Just play your game

 

[McTonyBrar]

First of all I want to say I'm not trying to find excuses or blame everyone else but...

It bothers me slightly that in the 2nd half it was clear McDavid was fine as usual and Pulju had finally got his game back on track, while Nuge was still pretty much at his worst, but yet it was Pulju who got benched. Like I said after that, apart from one great chance, the line started to stay much more on their own end. It would've been nice to see what would've happened if he'd put say Archibald or maybe Kahun (and thus reunited DRY) with McDavid and Pulju.

I'm not protesting that Pulju was the one to sit, but I thought that decision didn't reflect what was going on at the moment and in the end it killed the momentum the first line was finally creating. It's almost like Tippett didn't dare to demote/bench Nuge. Again, this is not against Nuge and I'm only talking about one particular game and what happened in the 2nd half of it. I understand they maybe appreciated Nuge's experience, but it looked like one player was colder than others but he was kept on that line. Fortunately it didn't end up costing points.

He didn't get benched. Archibald took some shifts on that line because it was late in the game and I think a veteran is to be more trusted out there than a rookie at that stage. Like someone said earlier, a prospects path is rarely in a straight line

 

[RandomGuy79]

I still don't see what others see in him. He just does nothing for me.

 

[LTIR]

I still don't see what others see in him. He just does nothing for me.

That one game showed a glimpse of what he could do but yeh he needs serious work on his shot if he wants to be a regular top 6 player in NHL.

We are banking on potential still. If he can just be passable this season we can use him as a cheap top 6 winger next season.

 

[McShogun99]

I’ve liked what I’ve seen from JP this season but he still looks awkward stick handling and in around the net. I think if he shortens his stick it will make a world of difference.

 

[FlameChampion]

Kid should be in third line.
Playing his game with no over pressure.
After he starts producing in there. Well he should stay there if third line scores!

I’m not sure playing on the third line is that much less pressure. Normally I would agree but the fan base already have their pitchforks out for the bottom 6 and the third line in particular. Turris hasn’t done much to put JP in a position to succeed. Not sure JP deserves first line minutes but hes been more effective than Kassian on the first line. Kassian has looked better on third line.

 

[McAsuno]

I’ve liked what I’ve seen from JP this season but he still looks awkward stick handling and in around the net. I think if he shortens his stick it will make a world of difference.

Adam Oates: The Skills Coach

I agree. The Oilers should link Oates and JP together. Oates would bring up the shortened stick pretty quickly imo.