McKenzie: Puljujarvi has requested a trade [Part 3]

[LMFAO]

If he goes to Finland he will never wants to come back to EDM. At least you will have his rights

Pulju is gonna make 200k max a year in Finland... he'd be making 5x more in the NHL this season...

My bet is Pulju has a great season in Finland this season and some team offers a late first rounder for him at next year's draft.

 

[Skolman]

Jaarmo speaks fluent Finnish. Was able to have a real conversation with Jesse. What this means is that Jaarmo obviously was able to identify some red flags with jesse that a team like the Oilers who probably didn’t even use a translator were not able to.

My theory on the red flags: some combination of stupidity, entitlement, and immaturity was identified.

Good point.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Pulju is gonna make 200k max a year in Finland... he'd be making 5x more in the NHL this season...

My bet is Pulju has a great season in Finland this season and some team offers a late first rounder for him at next year's draft.

The figure I saw was he'd be making about 300K if he spent the season in Oulu.

300K isn't NHL money, but it's still a pretty comfortable living.

 

[Saltcreek]

I think it’s hard to argue against a statement that EDMs mistreatment of Pulju is the worst of its kind the last decade.

If I am questioning Puljus attitude it’s from the perspective, why da heck didn’t he request a trade sooner?

He should have been left in Finland 3 years ago. He should at the very least have been left in the AHL the last 2 years (preferably loaned to Finland). Have anyone seen a NHL game the last decade? The game is uber fast and almost only about skating. Here we have a 6’5 kid who wasn’t even done growing when he was rushed to the NHL. The AHL game is even faster than the NHL from some perspective since it’s such a N-S style of league. It’s not a good fit for a growing lumbering teenager either.

Why did he put up with that?

Oh please, he was mishandled but he was hardly treated poorly. JP wanted to be in the NHL and part of the reason why he did not want to be in the AHL is because of his poor English. I am not going to say Edmonton did not mishandle JP but to say it is the worst of its kind in the last decade is just pure exaggeration.

 

[Ola]

Oh please, he was mishandled but he was hardly treated poorly. JP wanted to be in the NHL and part of the reason why he did not want to be in the AHL is because of his poor English. I am not going to say Edmonton did not mishandle JP but to say it is the worst of its kind in the last decade is just pure exaggeration.

He was not even close to being NHL ready. A big body like that, he needed a lot of time.

 

[ijuka]

Oh please, he was mishandled but he was hardly treated poorly. JP wanted to be in the NHL and part of the reason why he did not want to be in the AHL is because of his poor English. I am not going to say Edmonton did not mishandle JP but to say it is the worst of its kind in the last decade is just pure exaggeration.

The impression I got is he didn't want to play in AHL because it's AHL. He wanted to play in NHL. It's not an "English"-thing. When I saw his Finnish interview after first being sent down to AHL I was very disappointed and labeled him as an entitled brat. Doesn't look like I was wrong.

 

[Saltcreek]

He was not even close to being NHL ready. A big body like that, he needed a lot of time.

That still does not make any of what I said not true. He is no where close to being one of the worst handled prospects in the last decade. People need to blame JP more and the Oilers less, there is a point when you have to wonder if the player has it to compete at all.

 

[Fogelhund]

He was not even close to being NHL ready. A big body like that, he needed a lot of time.

and yet both Matthews and Laine have developed just fine, despite being around the same size. Look, I think Jesse should have been in the minors a great deal, and to some degree he wasn't developed as well as he should. On the flip side, the kid hasn't put the work in he needed to, including in learning the language. Both parties deserve blame here... and now it's time to play in Europe, and see if there is something salvageable out of this.

 

[FlameChampion]

What's weird about this whole situation is the timing.

Lucic apparently treated him like garbage, Lucic got traded.

He and the coaching staff/management didn't get along apparently, the Oilers brought in new Coaching/Management.

I'm not sure what JP's issue with Edmonton is. Edmonton is literally the only team in the league where he is probably a top-6 winger.

I used to like the kid, but man the entitled SOB he has turned into really brought me down on him.

From following the team and rumours over the last few years, I think the problem is that McDavid, Draisaitl etc dont like playing with him. He apparently is very stubborn and/or doesnt listen well and other players on the team dont know what to expect from him on the ice because hes not in positions that he should be or they expect him to be. It would make sense if this was the case because despite GM change, coaching change and some players changing, he still doesnt want to play here. I personally dont think this is really an indictment on McDavid/Draisaitl/etc, as you said I think JP is coming accross as being entitled. I still dont believe that hes a bad kid/person, but all of this drama coming from him/agent, just makes me think that he isnt getting good advice from parents, close friends etc (he doesnt have a strong foundation).

 

[Ola]

and yet both Matthews and Laine have developed just fine, despite being around the same size. Look, I think Jesse should have been in the minors a great deal, and to some degree he wasn't developed as well as he should. On the flip side, the kid hasn't put the work in he needed to, including in learning the language. Both parties deserve blame here... and now it's time to play in Europe, and see if there is something salvageable out of this.

So you think Puljujärvi is comparable to Laine and Matthews??

Laine is also so tremendously easy to deploy with his world class shot. Just slot him in that spot on the PP and you have a foundation to stand on.

 

[FlameChampion]

and yet both Matthews and Laine have developed just fine, despite being around the same size. Look, I think Jesse should have been in the minors a great deal, and to some degree he wasn't developed as well as he should. On the flip side, the kid hasn't put the work in he needed to, including in learning the language. Both parties deserve blame here... and now it's time to play in Europe, and see if there is something salvageable out of this.

I think the other problem here is that JP/Agent also probably had a handshake agreement with Chiarelli to start in the NHL (they probably threatened to stay in Europe) to make more money. The Oilers literally burned 40games in his first year to trim a year off his UFA status or whatever when he was being healthy scratched - so its the only literal reason I can think of. I think everyone in JP's camp (JP/agent/family etc) werent really looking out for his long term future and Chiarelli conceded to a high draft 3rd (4th) overall pick who simply wasnt as ready as everyone thought he was.

Now he has no waiver rights because him/agent mistreated his situation poorly and the Team didnt help matters much. Honestly both parties are to blame but I blame the player/agent more in this particular case. As you mentioned he hasnt put the work he needed in. A lot of people on the Oilers board simply think hes treated playing hockey as a game and not as his professional career. He obviously trains very hard in the gym but I dont think hes worked on his language, weaknesses, etc on and off the ice.

 

[Mr Positive]

Oh please, he was mishandled but he was hardly treated poorly. JP wanted to be in the NHL and part of the reason why he did not want to be in the AHL is because of his poor English. I am not going to say Edmonton did not mishandle JP but to say it is the worst of its kind in the last decade is just pure exaggeration.

to me the criticism that Edmonton mishandled Puljujarvi only stands up because of the result.

But I disagree. What could the Oilers have done differently? I've heard some argument that he should have been sent down longer. How so?

His main issue after being drafted was that he was not adapted to the North American game, both with playing style and with language, so staying in Europe was far from obvious as a real option, and 10/10 experts would have said it was obviously the wrong answer.

So, he got a taste of the NHL, getting scratched every other game for developmental reasons (still the same playing pace as the NHL) and was sent to the AHL eventually. Along the way he was given an extreme amount of one-on-one coaching and help, including attempting to hold his hand through learning English. And yes there were high profile people hired with a #1 focus being JP's development. These were not the actions of an org who jumped the gun or rushed the player in any way whatsoever. The only time you could argue that was when Hitchcock came in and asked that JP get called up, which was against the plan they had for him, but the new coach wanted to try, and even he said he wanted to spend a ton of one-on-one time with him to try to reach him, not that he wanted another winger. Again, even that decision to rush him was for developmental reasons, and the issues with JP were apparent well before then anyway.

Along the way, he's been given AHL time along with NHL time, and btw this was a very high draft pick who felt strongly he should be in the NHL full time. This is the exact path that countless top 3 picks have succeeded with.

At some point you have to accept the simplest explanation. Sometimes players who excel in lower leagues just don't fit in the NHL. At some point you have to put it on the player, and if JP thinks going to a different org will help, he's so wrong.

 

[Fogelhund]

So you think Puljujärvi is comparable to Laine and Matthews??

Laine is also so tremendously easy to deploy with his world class shot. Just slot him in that spot on the PP and you have a foundation to stand on.

You claimed Pulju is a big body, and they take time to develop. Yet, Matthews and Laine, who are about the same size, have developed fine.

 

[Fogelhund]

to me the criticism that Edmonton mishandled Puljujarvi only stands up because of the result.

But I disagree. What could the Oilers have done differently? I've heard some argument that he should have been sent down longer. How so?

His main issue after being drafted was that he was not adapted to the North American game, both with playing style and with language, so staying in Europe was far from obvious as a real option, and 10/10 experts would have said it was obviously the wrong answer.

So, he got a taste of the NHL, getting scratched every other game for developmental reasons (still the same playing pace as the NHL) and was sent to the AHL eventually. Along the way he was given an extreme amount of one-on-one coaching and help, including attempting to hold his hand through learning English. And yes there were high profile people hired with a #1 focus being JP's development. These were not the actions of an org who jumped the gun or rushed the player in any way whatsoever. The only time you could argue that was when Hitchcock came in and asked that JP get called up, which was against the plan they had for him, but the new coach wanted to try, and even he said he wanted to spend a ton of one-on-one time with him to try to reach him, not that he wanted another winger. Again, even that decision to rush him was for developmental reasons, and the issues with JP were apparent well before then anyway.

Along the way, he's been given AHL time along with NHL time, and btw this was a very high draft pick who felt strongly he should be in the NHL full time. This is the exact path that countless top 3 picks have succeeded with.

At some point you have to accept the simplest explanation. Sometimes players who excel in lower leagues just don't fit in the NHL. At some point you have to put it on the player, and if JP thinks going to a different org will help, he's so wrong.

If he wasn't ready for the NHL, and he still isn't, he should have been put in the AHL full time..not a few games here, and then up and down. Develop properly in the AHL, with extended playing time down there.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Eventually Holland will find an equal trade for him like he did with lucic. Basically for another potential bust...but oilers fans will get to celebrate like they won the cup lol

For good reason. Hopefully there's at least one GM that didn't watch him play last year.

Yikes...

I haven't paid too much attention to this. But I'm seeing some posts with mention of him seemingly having an entitled attitude. If that's true, what does he feel entitled about? That he looked like an average 4th liner on a bad team? Yeah, way to go, Jesse. Sky is the limit for you, bud.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

I see a kid who's exceptional natural talent and athletic ability carried him as a young man. He was highly touted in Finland from a young age and everywhere he played, whether it was junior hockey, international tourneys, Liiga he contributed offensively. The game of hockey came very naturally to him all his life and he excelled everywhere he went and then he gets to the show and it wasn't like that. A situation like that can be really hard on a young players confidence, it can be frustrating and confusing, and it surely wasn't helped by the fact that young guys he played with in Laine and Aho transitioned with relative ease to the NHL.

 

[Mr Positive]

If he wasn't ready for the NHL, and he still isn't, he should have been put in the AHL full time..not a few games here, and then up and down. Develop properly in the AHL, with extended playing time down there.

you are overrating the negative impact of going between the leagues, as if struggling at the NHL level will demotivate a player, but to me it is the best way to inform development.

The argument that he was mishandled best works for his 2nd season imo, where he was given an NHL season with some AHL time but not a lot. This was after a strong AHL season. I don't think another team would have handled this differently, since JP was considered NHL ready even when he was drafted, and was a 4th overall pick who was discussed of as in the tier of Matthews and Laine in that draft. So to me giving the kid a lot of leash made some sense. Any accusation that he was mishandled is made out of pure hindsight. Again, at some point you have to put it on the player.

edit: and to be clear, it's not that I'm bashing JP here and just defending the Oilers, just because I'm an Oilers fan. I have followed JP's development a lot, and to me it is obvious that JP's development was always a huge focus and all decisions around him were made for developmental reasons, and none to rush him. Ultimately I wonder if he's getting bad advice from people around him who are sucking up to him and telling him that all his problems are the fault of others. I want him to come to the Oilers camp and try again after. Failing that, spending a year in Europe and trying again for the Oilers. We have great centers and need wingers, and so we are the best place for him to succeed.

If he successfully forces a trade, he won't do any better. Not as long as he's not accepting responsibility

 

[BlackEye from Xhekaj]

you are overrating the negative impact of going between the leagues, as if struggling at the NHL level will demotivate a player, but to me it is the best way to inform development.

The argument that he was mishandled best works for his 2nd season imo, where he was given an NHL season with some AHL time but not a lot. This was after a strong AHL season. I don't think another team would have handled this differently, since JP was considered NHL ready even when he was drafted, and was a 4th overall pick who was discussed of as in the tier of Matthews and Laine in that draft. So to me giving the kid a lot of leash made some sense. Any accusation that he was mishandled is made out of pure hindsight. Again, at some point you have to put it on the player.

edit: and to be clear, it's not that I'm bashing JP here and just defending the Oilers, just because I'm an Oilers fan. I have followed JP's development a lot, and to me it is obvious that JP's development was always a huge focus and all decisions around him were made for developmental reasons, and none to rush him. Ultimately I wonder if he's getting bad advice from people around him who are sucking up to him and telling him that all his problems are the fault of others. I want him to come to the Oilers camp and try again after. Failing that, spending a year in Europe and trying again for the Oilers. We have great centers and need wingers, and so we are the best place for him to succeed.

If he successfully forces a trade, he won't do any better. Not as long as he's not accepting responsibility

This it what it comes down to.. I believe the situation in Edmonton hasn't been good for JP, and moving forward he needs a fresh start (new teammates/coaches) and new eyes on him. At the same time it is up to him to put in 100% effort, buy into whatever his new team is saying and become the player he sees himself being. The effort he puts in will show how bad he wants it. Talent gets your foot in the door, after that it's up to the staff to work with JP, and JP to follow through to enhance his talent and grow as a player.

He still has plenty of time to do it, but both Edmonton and Puljujarvi need to put this behind them and move forward apart.

 

[spockBokk]

Have no idea if this guy is credible:



But you have to love Google Translate, “A return to the Fly is very close...”

 

[TheNumber4]

I suppose that's possible, that he picked up on some immaturity. I feel like it's a bit unlikely Edmonton would have drafted him without speaking to him lol

As an Oilers fan I find it VERY likely the Oilers drafted him without understanding him. MAYBE they spoke to him.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Have no idea if this guy is credible:



But you have to love Google Translate, “A return to the Fly is very close...”

Yea Hoffren is credible and Kärpät have indeed done the paperwork necessary for Jesse to play in Liiga.

 

[TheNumber4]

And all that would do would be to force these kids not to sign with Edmonton, delay their NHL future by a couple of seasons and then they'd re-enter the draft. If Edmonton drafted them again, then they can either choose to sign with them, or wait another 2 years and become a UFA (same time frame but a more pain in the ass situation to what the NCAA kids go through). Edmonton doesn't have nearly the control over these kids as you think they do.

Lol yeh. Bonafide NHL prospects that have a chance to make money right away and/or draft picks that know that a chance at an NHL job is very slim are going to just sit out a couple years cause of this Pulju situation. If you think that's how this'll play out, you don't know squat about the real world.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

I wish they'd just do something with this clown already. Getting tired of hearing about this entitled scrub.

Entitlement is one hell of a thing.

 

[Riptide]

Lol yeh. Bonafide NHL prospects that have a chance to make money right away and/or draft picks that know that a chance at an NHL job is very slim are going to just sit out a couple years cause of this Pulju situation. If you think that's how this'll play out, you don't know squat about the real world.

They're not just "sitting out". They would stay in juniors for the max time allowed, then would need to spend 1-2 seasons on either AHL only deal's or in Europe. Then they'd be UFAs able to choose whichever team they want to play with who would in their minds give them the best chance possible at having success, and thus bypassing Edmonton completely.

And if you think that an NHL team publicly telling people and thus future prospects that they're more than willing to ruin a player's career won't have an impact, then it's you that doesn't know squat about the real world. Why risk your career in Edmonton if you don't have to? Of course the real answer here is that Edmonton wouldn't make such an asinine statement.

You make it sound like every player agrees with Pulju's "mistreatment".

Not at all. I'm pointing out what should be the obvious if Edmonton were to adopt @TheNumber4's idea regarding ruining player's careers if Edmonton choose to do so.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Yea Hoffren is credible and Kärpät have indeed done the paperwork necessary for Jesse to play in Liiga.

good place for him.