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

[McSuper]

Puljujarvi has done ok not great in a lessor league . He still isn’t a sure fire NHLer . Hopefully the coach can get him to buy end and we get a high end 2 way 35 to 40 point 3rd liner that can move up the line up in a pinch .

As for the Yakupov comparison. Puljujarvi brings more to the table . I think Edmonton made mistakes in drafting both players . Yak draft year was weak .if we were picking around the 5 mark I think the team would’ve put the work in . I feel they just ran up and picked the player most had rated number 1 . Same with Puljujarvi draft when he fell Chia couldn’t run up fast enough . Big players often dominate in jr due to their size . Draft the average size player that dominates as he has heart to push thru bigger stronger players

 

[Smartguy]

Puljujarvi has done ok not great in a lessor league . He still isn’t a sure fire NHLer . Hopefully the coach can get him to buy end and we get a high end 2 way 35 to 40 point 3rd liner that can move up the line up in a pinch .

As for the Yakupov comparison. Puljujarvi brings more to the table . I think Edmonton made mistakes in drafting both players . Yak draft year was weak .if we were picking around the 5 mark I think the team would’ve put the work in . I feel they just ran up and picked the player most had rated number 1 . Same with Puljujarvi draft when he fell Chia couldn’t run up fast enough . Big players often dominate in jr due to their size . Draft the average size player that dominates as he has heart to push thru bigger stronger players

It’s been well reported that Edmonton’s scouts wanted Murray but Katz told them to pick Yakupov. Now with that said the scouting report on Yakupov was a poor mans Ovechkin, wicked off wing one timer, could play a physical game, and could fly when he wanted too, only one direction for the most part though. Issue with him was when he got to the NHL he did not have the brain to keep up with the pace of play, which Puljujarvi still has the same question, similar not in style but in that he may have just excelled on physical tools in the lower leagues.


Now with that said I think Puljujarvi has more defensive awareness and is a much better player overall and can think the game better, I think he’s an NHLer, just maybe not in the top 6.

For those basing their opinions off his play thus far, hasn’t that league been a mess to this point? Playing games in short stints and hasn’t his team quarantined twice? Don’t think it’s fair to come to judgement with how the Liiga has been played.

Will be interesting to see him in camp and playing in Edmonton. I hope for the best but I’m cautiously optimistic.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Just noticed ... why are the blue lines so close to the red line? Such an enormous offensive zone and almost no neutral zone?

Because they determined that so few players are good NZ players these days the NHLPA just reconfigured the zones. Next is to make the goals bigger so that any free agent has +50pts to bargain off...

Third intervention is Century nostalgia reboot of goalie equipment..

 

[Laodongxi]

And bring back the Rover as well! I like it!

 

[Aerchon]

Puljujarvi has done ok not great in a lessor league . He still isn’t a sure fire NHLer . Hopefully the coach can get him to buy end and we get a high end 2 way 35 to 40 point 3rd liner that can move up the line up in a pinch .

As for the Yakupov comparison. Puljujarvi brings more to the table . I think Edmonton made mistakes in drafting both players . Yak draft year was weak .if we were picking around the 5 mark I think the team would’ve put the work in . I feel they just ran up and picked the player most had rated number 1 . Same with Puljujarvi draft when he fell Chia couldn’t run up fast enough . Big players often dominate in jr due to their size . Draft the average size player that dominates as he has heart to push thru bigger stronger players

It’s been well reported that Edmonton’s scouts wanted Murray but Katz told them to pick Yakupov. Now with that said the scouting report on Yakupov was a poor mans Ovechkin, wicked off wing one timer, could play a physical game, and could fly when he wanted too, only one direction for the most part though. Issue with him was when he got to the NHL he did not have the brain to keep up with the pace of play, which Puljujarvi still has the same question, similar not in style but in that he may have just excelled on physical tools in the lower leagues.


Now with that said I think Puljujarvi has more defensive awareness and is a much better player overall and can think the game better, I think he’s an NHLer, just maybe not in the top 6.

For those basing their opinions off his play thus far, hasn’t that league been a mess to this point? Playing games in short stints and hasn’t his team quarantined twice? Don’t think it’s fair to come to judgement with how the Liiga has been played.

Will be interesting to see him in camp and playing in Edmonton. I hope for the best but I’m cautiously optimistic.

Couple things.

Yakupov suffered from poor/weird hockey IQ and being very physically dominate in the weak small Q (OHL sorry) league. When he got the the nhl his junior elite shot, speed, agility, answer size all became pedestrian. He and Sam Bennett both had that going against them. Good at everything but elite at nothing plus relatively weaker once in the bigs.

Puljujarvi does not have poor/weird hockey iq. He was drafted as a solid two way player from day one. He plays a European game, no insult but soft/perimeter is often euro, but his hockey sense is not even remotely as questionable as Yakupov.

Puljujarvi also played in a men's league predraft. As big as he is there was little dominance due to being bigger and stronger than the players in his men's league.

He also already has limited nhl success. He is a bonified nhl player. Just a matter of how good of one.

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

Couple things.

Yakupov suffered from poor/weird hockey IQ and being very physically dominate in the weak small Q league. When he got the the nhl his junior elite shot, speed, agility, answer size all became pedestrian. He and Sam Bennett both had that going against them. Good at everything but elite at nothing plus relatively weaker once in the bigs.

Puljujarvi does not have poor/weird hockey iq. He was drafted as a solid two way player from day one. He plays a European game, no insult but soft/perimeter is often euro, but his hockey sense is not even remotely as questionable as Yakupov.

Puljujarvi also played in a men's league predraft. As big as he is there was little dominance due to being bigger and stronger than the players in his men's league.

He also already has limited nhl success. He is a bonified nhl player. Just a matter of how good of one.

Yakupov was drafted from Sarnia of the OHL not the Q

 

[Whyme]

Couple things.

Yakupov suffered from poor/weird hockey IQ and being very physically dominate in the weak small Q league. When he got the the nhl his junior elite shot, speed, agility, answer size all became pedestrian. He and Sam Bennett both had that going against them. Good at everything but elite at nothing plus relatively weaker once in the bigs.

Puljujarvi does not have poor/weird hockey iq. He was drafted as a solid two way player from day one. He plays a European game, no insult but soft/perimeter is often euro, but his hockey sense is not even remotely as questionable as Yakupov.

Puljujarvi also played in a men's league predraft. As big as he is there was little dominance due to being bigger and stronger than the players in his men's league.

He also already has limited nhl success. He is a bonified nhl player. Just a matter of how good of one.

Yeah people look at Pulju's size and think he dominated in the juniors because of that. Longer reach helped to some extent, but other than that there wasn't much physicality in him. That was a problem in the Oilers, too, as he couldn't fully utilize his size and quite easily had some trouble with the balance, but at least that area should be fixed now.

 

[Whyme]

For those basing their opinions off his play thus far, hasn’t that league been a mess to this point? Playing games in short stints and hasn’t his team quarantined twice? Don’t think it’s fair to come to judgement with how the Liiga has been played.

Will be interesting to see him in camp and playing in Edmonton. I hope for the best but I’m cautiously optimistic.

For sure it's been a very unusual season, especially for Pulju's team Kärpät. What I believe has weighed more is his contract with the Oilers. But it's the same with pretty much every NHL player in the FEL. Already beforehand I had a feeling it won't be easy to do well with an NHL contract in the pocket in a pretty physical league. I just hope and believe Pulju will play like he did before the contract, then I'll accept whatever the outcome in the Oilers is.

 

[Mr Positive]

It’s been well reported that Edmonton’s scouts wanted Murray but Katz told them to pick Yakupov. Now with that said the scouting report on Yakupov was a poor mans Ovechkin, wicked off wing one timer, could play a physical game, and could fly when he wanted too, only one direction for the most part though. Issue with him was when he got to the NHL he did not have the brain to keep up with the pace of play, which Puljujarvi still has the same question, similar not in style but in that he may have just excelled on physical tools in the lower leagues.


Now with that said I think Puljujarvi has more defensive awareness and is a much better player overall and can think the game better, I think he’s an NHLer, just maybe not in the top 6.

For those basing their opinions off his play thus far, hasn’t that league been a mess to this point? Playing games in short stints and hasn’t his team quarantined twice? Don’t think it’s fair to come to judgement with how the Liiga has been played.

Will be interesting to see him in camp and playing in Edmonton. I hope for the best but I’m cautiously optimistic.

He still seems like a good fit for us. We are a team that needs help in the bottom six, and we have two amazing centers, ones who can play with good bottom six types if the fit is right. That's even preferable because of our cap structure. A true top six winger would be too costly, to be blunt

 

[PulYou]

Puljujarvi has done ok not great in a lessor league . He still isn’t a sure fire NHLer . Hopefully the coach can get him to buy end and we get a high end 2 way 35 to 40 point 3rd liner that can move up the line up in a pinch .

As for the Yakupov comparison. Puljujarvi brings more to the table . I think Edmonton made mistakes in drafting both players . Yak draft year was weak .if we were picking around the 5 mark I think the team would’ve put the work in . I feel they just ran up and picked the player most had rated number 1 . Same with Puljujarvi draft when he fell Chia couldn’t run up fast enough . Big players often dominate in jr due to their size . Draft the average size player that dominates as he has heart to push thru bigger stronger players

From early on he has always played against his elders and still dominated. When he was chosen as MVP at the World Juniors he was one of the youngest players to play in the tournament.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

On the latter, it does make my spider senses go off a wee bit as Puljujarvi cooled off so dramatically after signing the NHL contract. Is there a willing to settle/pull the chute mentality possibly? Is he saving himself from potential injury? We're spoiled as Oiler fans who see how McDavid and Draisaitl approach their training and play. There is never a let up and always pushing themselves to more. I'm not doubting Puljujarvi but he's definitely been off after blazing so bright the last year and a half in the home league.

Honestly? Don't read too much into it.
Karpat was obliterated by Covid and were forced to quarantine when he was at his hottest.
Various start and stops, completel juggling of linemates who missed several weeks, then their games got-rescheduled and crammed.

It's not normal there. Don't put too much stock into any of this.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Honestly? Don't read too much into it.
Karpat was obliterated by Covid and were forced to quarantine when he was at his hottest.
Various start and stops, completel juggling of linemates who missed several weeks, then their games got-rescheduled and crammed.

It's not normal there. Don't put too much stock into any of this.

Good point. I've been pretty clear and consistent about wanting Puljujarvi back versus dealt and in the challenges where he's have to prove himself. Covid considerations are legitimate and no doubt chaotic. One more point of adversity for Jesse. Time to get him back to Edmonton to hopefully cross off the questions marks.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Puljujarvi has done ok not great in a lessor league . He still isn’t a sure fire NHLer . Hopefully the coach can get him to buy end and we get a high end 2 way 35 to 40 point 3rd liner that can move up the line up in a pinch .

As for the Yakupov comparison. Puljujarvi brings more to the table . I think Edmonton made mistakes in drafting both players . Yak draft year was weak .if we were picking around the 5 mark I think the team would’ve put the work in . I feel they just ran up and picked the player most had rated number 1 . Same with Puljujarvi draft when he fell Chia couldn’t run up fast enough . Big players often dominate in jr due to their size . Draft the average size player that dominates as he has heart to push thru bigger stronger players

I think this is valid and its always a potential concern in drafting early size bloomers as they tend to look like men playing against boys in Jr. So much of what makes a good to great NHL player is about tenacity, perseverance, resilience and frankly scouts could do better at gauging these things. Yakupov certainly had the talent. he didn't have the resolve, the nature to want or need to be an NHL player. It just wasn't important enough to him. His world view is not even of a pro athlete. He's a fellow with spiritual beliefs that would be just as comfortable being in working places and living anywhere in anyway. Such a person is not going to expose himself to the rigors and demands of pro sport for long because they just are not motivated by that toil.

What Pulju shares with Yak is being talented enough, having a large enough frame to be physical, physically withstand, but emotionally his aspect is he never really got comfortable here, was too young, and was homesick often from what I see. Not sure if the Oilers tried to get his mother or family over here or if that would have helped but its one aspect I would try. The team had Draisaitls dad come over on occasion and take in games and experience some time here with Drai who really misses Cologne on the long seasons here. With Pulju its hard to say. He may just end up being not culturally acclimated to a different place. He's a bit like Tikkanen in that, and Esa was great here, and I loved every aspect, but he had Kurri, Ruotsalainen, to help him be comfortable and tell him what he needed to do every day. Tikk struggled a bit but found his way as a dominant player, and excellent all round player.

The org should go in the trenches and let Pulju know how many Finns have succeeded here and played very well here. I do really feel like Jesse feels like a fish out of water here, like its an Alien place, and no knock on Edmonton, but it can feel depressing here during winters. Thats a struggle that most Edmontonians adapt to. I mean he should be used to the latitude but still.

 

[Mara]

So he's on the plane to the Canadia lands. I'm terrified for the boy(young man). He had a terrible finish in Finland. Hopefully it was due to the contract and him looking out for himself. Hopefully. His showing was much weaker than the previous season even, and this time he had a full summer without any injuries to train. Some of his old problems are still visible. Sometimes he gets into "passing Pulju" mode and tries to feed too much. Sometimes he shoots when he shouldn't. It still feels like he lacks an identity of his own. I recall "the" U20 tournament when he was in the line with Laine and Aho and his primary role was to battle for the puck and feed them to his linemates - and he was very effective at this. But it's not the role most see him at, he's always been considered somewhat poor at using his size. Please Edmonton know what you're doing with him and produce the miracle that makes use of his talent because his latest showing in Finland did not make anyone confident or comfortable. That is all.

 

[Mara]

Jesse feels like a fish out of water here, like its an Alien place, and no knock on Edmonton, but it can feel depressing here during winters. Thats a struggle that most Edmontonians adapt to. I mean he should be used to the latitude but still.

If he has any cultural problems adjusting to Edmonton it has nothing to do with the winter, as your last sentence makes clear. His home region gets 3-4 hours of sunlight during the darkest parts of winter, with the occasional extreme cold spell. I don't think that has any bearing on his adjusting to Edmonton, if anything it would make him feel at home.

 

[Drivesaitl]

If he has any cultural problems adjusting to Edmonton it has nothing to do with the winter, as you last sentence makes clear. His home region gets 3-4 hours of sunlight during the darkest parts of winter, with the occasional extreme cold spell. I don't think that has any bearing on his adjusting to Edmonton, if anything it would make him feel at home.

I know, thus mentioning similar latitude, winters etc. But Finland, lets just say its a lot more attractive than the prairies here. Not everybody likes Edmonton all that much tbh. I like it a lot and our river valley, wide open spaces, and Alberta, and the Rockies are beautiful. But a lot of people coming here don't make it out that way. So that they don't really experience or appreciate the bests of Alberta.

I mentioned Leon too. I mean he's had the same reaction, he's up front that he really misses Cologne (who wouldn't) and he has trouble finding interesting things to do In Edmonton. He doesn't understand this place, which is natural, and Edmonton is mostly composed of simple nondescript suburbs that all start looking the same really quick.

I mean I'm not trying to deride the place I live but its no comparison to Europe.

I can comprehend the feeling because I'm first generation born here, and the family roots are in Europe. NA is different, not for everybody.

cheers

 

[bobbythebrain]

Couple things.

Yakupov suffered from poor/weird hockey IQ and being very physically dominate in the weak small Q (OHL sorry) league. When he got the the nhl his junior elite shot, speed, agility, answer size all became pedestrian. He and Sam Bennett both had that going against them. Good at everything but elite at nothing plus relatively weaker once in the bigs.

Puljujarvi does not have poor/weird hockey iq. He was drafted as a solid two way player from day one. He plays a European game, no insult but soft/perimeter is often euro, but his hockey sense is not even remotely as questionable as Yakupov.

Puljujarvi also played in a men's league predraft. As big as he is there was little dominance due to being bigger and stronger than the players in his men's league.

He also already has limited nhl success. He is a bonified nhl player. Just a matter of how good of one.

Did you watch JP? For the very little he showed good, his hockey IQ was horrible!! Skating/crowding his teammates on rushes. Quck one touch passes back that even his teammates weren't expecting. Abandoning cycles. Questionable timing on line changes. Abandoning an open net slot shot to RIFLE a slap pass at McD that missed by a mile. Hitting Maroon in the throat from a shot 2ft away.

JP had some very noticeable IQ issues

 

[Zaddy]

I know, thus mentioning similar latitude, winters etc. But Finland, lets just say its a lot more attractive than the prairies here. Not everybody likes Edmonton all that much tbh. I like it a lot and our river valley, wide open spaces, and Alberta, and the Rockies are beautiful. But a lot of people coming here don't make it out that way. So that they don't really experience or appreciate the bests of Alberta.

I mentioned Leon too. I mean he's had the same reaction, he's up front that he really misses Cologne (who wouldn't) and he has trouble finding interesting things to do In Edmonton. He doesn't understand this place, which is natural, and Edmonton is mostly composed of simple nondescript suburbs that all start looking the same really quick.

I mean I'm not trying to deride the place I live but its no comparison to Europe.

I can comprehend the feeling because I'm first generation born here, and the family roots are in Europe. NA is different, not for everybody.

cheers

In general I don't think it really matters what the city is like. Home can be anywhere, it's really about the people. And I think that was the main issue for Puljujärvi, he didn't seem to have anyone to spend time with. I mean the guy was reportedly seen walking alone everywhere and obviously went skating in public rinks all by himself and stuff. Didn't seem like he had many, if any, friends on the team, not too dissimilar to Yakupov. It's really, really difficult to be happy and to perform well when you're so far away from home and don't feel like you fit in and don't have anyone to spend time with. Of course this was probably massively complicated by the fact that Pulju barely spoke English at all when he was in Edmonton making it even harder to fit in and be comfortable.

 

[Oilhawks]

So he's on the plane to the Canadia lands. I'm terrified for the boy(young man). He had a terrible finish in Finland. Hopefully it was due to the contract and him looking out for himself. Hopefully. His showing was much weaker than the previous season even, and this time he had a full summer without any injuries to train. Some of his old problems are still visible. Sometimes he gets into "passing Pulju" mode and tries to feed too much. Sometimes he shoots when he shouldn't. It still feels like he lacks an identity of his own. I recall "the" U20 tournament when he was in the line with Laine and Aho and his primary role was to battle for the puck and feed them to his linemates - and he was very effective at this. But it's not the role most see him at, he's always been considered somewhat poor at using his size. Please Edmonton know what you're doing with him and produce the miracle that makes use of his talent because his latest showing in Finland did not make anyone confident or comfortable. That is all.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I think this is valid and its always a potential concern in drafting early size bloomers as they tend to look like men playing against boys in Jr. So much of what makes a good to great NHL player is about tenacity, perseverance, resilience and frankly scouts could do better at gauging these things. Yakupov certainly had the talent. he didn't have the resolve, the nature to want or need to be an NHL player. It just wasn't important enough to him. His world view is not even of a pro athlete. He's a fellow with spiritual beliefs that would be just as comfortable being in working places and living anywhere in anyway. Such a person is not going to expose himself to the rigors and demands of pro sport for long because they just are not motivated by that toil.

What Pulju shares with Yak is being talented enough, having a large enough frame to be physical, physically withstand, but emotionally his aspect is he never really got comfortable here, was too young, and was homesick often from what I see. Not sure if the Oilers tried to get his mother or family over here or if that would have helped but its one aspect I would try. The team had Draisaitls dad come over on occasion and take in games and experience some time here with Drai who really misses Cologne on the long seasons here. With Pulju its hard to say. He may just end up being not culturally acclimated to a different place. He's a bit like Tikkanen in that, and Esa was great here, and I loved every aspect, but he had Kurri, Ruotsalainen, to help him be comfortable and tell him what he needed to do every day. Tikk struggled a bit but found his way as a dominant player, and excellent all round player.

The org should go in the trenches and let Pulju know how many Finns have succeeded here and played very well here. I do really feel like Jesse feels like a fish out of water here, like its an Alien place, and no knock on Edmonton, but it can feel depressing here during winters. Thats a struggle that most Edmontonians adapt to. I mean he should be used to the latitude but still.

You do know puljujarvi was drafted out of the liiga, playing against men right? And not juniors?

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I think this is valid and its always a potential concern in drafting early size bloomers as they tend to look like men playing against boys in Jr. So much of what makes a good to great NHL player is about tenacity, perseverance, resilience and frankly scouts could do better at gauging these things. Yakupov certainly had the talent. he didn't have the resolve, the nature to want or need to be an NHL player. It just wasn't important enough to him. His world view is not even of a pro athlete. He's a fellow with spiritual beliefs that would be just as comfortable being in working places and living anywhere in anyway. Such a person is not going to expose himself to the rigors and demands of pro sport for long because they just are not motivated by that toil.

What Pulju shares with Yak is being talented enough, having a large enough frame to be physical, physically withstand, but emotionally his aspect is he never really got comfortable here, was too young, and was homesick often from what I see. Not sure if the Oilers tried to get his mother or family over here or if that would have helped but its one aspect I would try. The team had Draisaitls dad come over on occasion and take in games and experience some time here with Drai who really misses Cologne on the long seasons here. With Pulju its hard to say. He may just end up being not culturally acclimated to a different place. He's a bit like Tikkanen in that, and Esa was great here, and I loved every aspect, but he had Kurri, Ruotsalainen, to help him be comfortable and tell him what he needed to do every day. Tikk struggled a bit but found his way as a dominant player, and excellent all round player.

The org should go in the trenches and let Pulju know how many Finns have succeeded here and played very well here. I do really feel like Jesse feels like a fish out of water here, like its an Alien place, and no knock on Edmonton, but it can feel depressing here during winters. Thats a struggle that most Edmontonians adapt to. I mean he should be used to the latitude but still.

Quibble abit about some elements of your comps. Tikkanen was clearly a mentally strong person albeit enigmatic at a young age. He came to North America to play junior hockey in Regina at a time and era where this never happened for a Scandinavian teenage hockey player. That makes strong mental toughness and resiliency. The Oil having a solid core group of veteran Finnish players definitely helped but Tikkanen I would argue had the grit and internal drive ... maybe not the language skills lmao ... to succeed in the NHL. Similarly, Draisaitl moved to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to play in one the world's premiere junior leagues with top peer competition and NHL travel schedule. Draisaitl benefited too from having a pro hockey father who instilled skill development and likely mental attributes to approach playing elite hockey. I think both had the mental toughness, grit and resiliency to face adversity and learn from it.

Conversely, both Yakupov and Puljujarvi had the physical attributes to succeed into high end, elite prospects. However both lacked the mental toughness and intangibles which snowballed downhill when the physical attributes were not enough to become NHL players. Both seem to me to be really quality people but also shown real immaturity when placed in the failed 'Oiler Way' approach of thrusting top prospect teenagers onto the NHL roster. Yak did scorch the OHL but seemed stubborn to adapt his game and take coaching direction. Puljujarvi often seemed like a loveable big kid but without language skills and coping ability spiralled when things went bad.

After much required realistic development and maturation in Finland, I'm really happy Puljujarvi is returning to Edmonton to reboot his NHL career. I love second chances and I think this is also a finally mature organization with the wisdom and experience of Holland and Tippett running the show.

 

[GOilers88]

I know, thus mentioning similar latitude, winters etc. But Finland, lets just say its a lot more attractive than the prairies here. Not everybody likes Edmonton all that much tbh. I like it a lot and our river valley, wide open spaces, and Alberta, and the Rockies are beautiful. But a lot of people coming here don't make it out that way. So that they don't really experience or appreciate the bests of Alberta.

I mentioned Leon too. I mean he's had the same reaction, he's up front that he really misses Cologne (who wouldn't) and he has trouble finding interesting things to do In Edmonton. He doesn't understand this place, which is natural, and Edmonton is mostly composed of simple nondescript suburbs that all start looking the same really quick.

I mean I'm not trying to deride the place I live but its no comparison to Europe.

I can comprehend the feeling because I'm first generation born here, and the family roots are in Europe. NA is different, not for everybody.

cheers

Makes me wonder what guys really think about playing for Edmonton, or even Winnipeg. I'm sure most are consummate professionals and are happy to be playing the game they love wherever it may be, and we all know nobody will generally come out and complain about what city it is they play for, but it really does have to hit home when you have options like California and New York and most of the USA and you wind up in Northern Canada. I always think back to the McDavid lottery and the famous look on his face, and I honestly don't hold it against him, especially when you aren't just considering the abysmal franchise but the rather cold, harsh climate.

 

[Whyme]

Makes me wonder what guys really think about playing for Edmonton, or even Winnipeg. I'm sure most are consummate professionals and are happy to be playing the game they love wherever it may be, and we all know nobody will generally come out and complain about what city it is they play for, but it really does have to hit home when you have options like California and New York and most of the USA and you wind up in Northern Canada. I always think back to the McDavid lottery and the famous look on his face, and I honestly don't hold it against him, especially when you aren't just considering the abysmal franchise but the rather cold, harsh climate.

For some these things do play a role, as do taxation issues, but the good thing about Pulju is that if things work better this time he shouldn't have any problem staying in Edmonton. In fact I think he'd rather be there than say Florida or California as he seems to be a guy who prefers a real winter. He's said he likes Edmonton and there's no reason to believe he didn't mean it when he said that.

However, when things start to go wrong as it did last time the dark and cold winter (as is also the case here in Finland) may make things worse.

 

[PulYou]

Quibble abit about some elements of your comps. Tikkanen was clearly a mentally strong person albeit enigmatic at a young age. He came to North America to play junior hockey in Regina at a time and era where this never happened for a Scandinavian teenage hockey player. That makes strong mental toughness and resiliency. The Oil having a solid core group of veteran Finnish players definitely helped but Tikkanen I would argue had the grit and internal drive ... maybe not the language skills lmao ... to succeed in the NHL. Similarly, Draisaitl moved to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to play in one the world's premiere junior leagues with top peer competition and NHL travel schedule. Draisaitl benefited too from having a pro hockey father who instilled skill development and likely mental attributes to approach playing elite hockey. I think both had the mental toughness, grit and resiliency to face adversity and learn from it.

Conversely, both Yakupov and Puljujarvi had the physical attributes to succeed into high end, elite prospects. However both lacked the mental toughness and intangibles which snowballed downhill when the physical attributes were not enough to become NHL players. Both seem to me to be really quality people but also shown real immaturity when placed in the failed 'Oiler Way' approach of thrusting top prospect teenagers onto the NHL roster. Yak did scorch the OHL but seemed stubborn to adapt his game and take coaching direction. Puljujarvi often seemed like a loveable big kid but without language skills and coping ability spiralled when things went bad.

After much required realistic development and maturation in Finland, I'm really happy Puljujarvi is returning to Edmonton to reboot his NHL career. I love second chances and I think this is also a finally mature organization with the wisdom and experience of Holland and Tippett running the show.

I believe there is more there to explain why someone will make it and someone will not. When talking about Tikkanen and resiliency for example. He has had big difficulties facing the adversity after he stopped playing. He almost lost his life control because of heavy drinking. Now he seems to have beaten those obstacles, but it took him years to do that. So maybe he was resilient hockey wise or the circumstances benefitted him at the time?

On Puljujärvi’s resiliency: Puljujärvi moved on his own when he was 13 years old. There was no billet family to take care of him. Hockey wise he was taken good care of by Kärpät organisation. He was playing against his elders succesfully. There were some growing pains (mostly injury wise). I guess he really didn’t have to face big adversities. And there was almost nobody teaching him to manage his emotions especially when facing adversity. This is something that Kärpät coach Manner has been now concentrating for Jesse to learn to manage his emotions when playing.

This was something that his AHL coach Fleming was talking about too: ”His biggest challenge is realizing that when he isn’t scoring, it is okay. He has always been a difference maker, and he will be, but not every shift, and he just has to learn that is okay. He just needs to understand mentally that he can help the team a lot, even when he isn’t scoring.”

Fleming was also quoted saying on 18 year old Puljujärvi playing in the AHL: ”He is strong and when he is moving well with the puck it has been men against boys...”

His Kärpät center Cody Kunyk told (to Spector): ”Our coaching staff is very tough on him, preparing him for what’s coming (in the NHL).” And on Puljujärvi’s own mentality: ”He works so hard, all the time. He expects so much of himself, and is very hard on himself. If he plays his ‘B’ game one night, he’ll be the last guy at the rink working out after the game.”

So I am guessing the biggest obstacle on him succeeding could be his resiliency (if You will) or confidence as it playes part in every success story. Let’s see if Tippett is the difference maker. McLellan didn’t know what he was doing.

 

[Whyme]

So I am guessing the biggest obstacle on him succeeding could be his resiliency (if You will) or confidence as it playes part in every success story. Let’s see if Tippett is the difference maker. McLellan didn’t know what he was doing.

I understand McLellan had a lot of pressure as the previously succesful organisation had failed so badly during the previous decade. He also had young McDavid and Drai and under these circumstances he obviously wasn't interested in treating Puljujarvi as a project. Pulju himself has said he can be too hard on himself so McLellan's tough love/I don't really care approach wasn't ideal in this case. I could be wrong, but overall I got a feeling McLellan was a bit lazy.

The reason I started to write was to say it seems Holland and Tippett seem way more professional. What's great is they've actually been watching Pulju's games and know what to expect. It's possible things won't go as smoothly as I hope, but the situation is better now. There's also less pressure due to him returning after being "a lost case" and due to his modest salary. It also helps that the organisation is clearly in a much better path now.

A few years ago Finnish media often talked about the Oilers as a messed organisation, but nowadays the tone is very different and they keep mentioning the corrected path and the good, experienced guys in charge. The better reputation should help with getting better players to the team and actually we already are seeing glimpses of this.