Post-Game Talk: Skinner is the new CUJO

[SupremeTeam16]

Holland's tried to essentially give him away for a long while. The player has to also be open to a new, defensive role and one with the apparent confidence issues quite possibly won't see adding more responsibilities and a far more complex position as his lifeboat to salvage his perceived self-worth.

Think that is a well intended patch over idea for what have been systemic gaps between player and organization. It's also likely an off-season transition reality with the player investing in a skills coach to develop an additional skill set (and on-ice tactical responsibilities) beyond the work required to get his shot mechanics and small ice areas of play up to a reasonable level.

I'd love to see Puljujarvi thrive and succeed in Edmonton. Unfortunately it looks more and more likely the second chance in a new environment is the hard reality of the pedigree player's unfulfilled promise. Really too bad.

I think he’s got a chance to be a really valuable player without being a scorer if he could just genuinely wrap his head around that fact and focus on making the alterations to his game. We’ve seen plenty of examples of players like Jesse with similar skill sets, who with time and experience find their scoring touch in the back half of their careers. His package makes it so hard for me to believe cutting bait is the right decision but his mindset isn’t evolving and that’s the problem.


He reminds me of a kid I used to coach who was pretty strong on his skates and just a package of big , raw strength. In the corners he’d put 2-3 opponents on their backs just swinging his ass around looking for the puck in his feet. Like Jesse he wasn’t opposed to playing in front of the net but he got there and he was always so focused on the puck and I’d always tell him, the puck doesn’t matter it’s going to be there. That area in front of their net is your land, you own it and these guys think it belongs to them. Don’t be an offensive player in front of their net, play like it’s your net front and it’s your land. Defend your space and move opponents out of it. Pucks are going to go in off you, their going to drop down in front of you and sometimes it’s going to be your teammate getting the chance but you’re doing the most important part by owning that area and fighting for it. Jesse has the natural tools to do that job better then most he just doesn’t think that way. He also has a terrific inadvertent ability to enrage opponents and take them off their game. He’s big and strong and alot to handle and he’s always got a smile on his face in between whistles. That really gets under guys skin.

 

[Staghorn]

Of course he's hurting the team. His cap hit and lack of production is very detrimental. He's a 3 million dollar tomato can.

I am tired of the kid gloves treatment.. look at his offensive production. Time for a couple games in the press box. All this pussery trying to “build value” - I don’t think the other GMs are stupid…. They know EXACTLY what Pulju is. See if he responds to a solid benching.

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

I am tired of the kid gloves treatment.. look at his offensive production. Time for a couple games in the press box. All this pussery trying to “build value” - I don’t think the other GMs are stupid…. They know EXACTLY what Pulju is. See if he responds to a solid benching.

Hell yes!!!

 

[ZJuice]

I think he’s got a chance to be a really valuable player without being a scorer if he could just genuinely wrap his head around that fact and focus on making the alterations to his game. We’ve seen plenty of examples of players like Jesse with similar skill sets, who with time and experience find their scoring touch in the back half of their careers. His package makes it so hard for me to believe cutting bait is the right decision but his mindset isn’t evolving and that’s the problem.


He reminds me of a kid I used to coach who was pretty strong on his skates and just a package of big , raw strength. In the corners he’d put 2-3 opponents on their backs just swinging his ass around looking for the puck in his feet. Like Jesse he wasn’t opposed to playing in front of the net but he got there and he was always so focused on the puck and I’d always tell him, the puck doesn’t matter it’s going to be there. That area in front of their net is your land, you own it and these guys think it belongs to them. Don’t be an offensive player in front of their net, play like it’s your net front and it’s your land. Defend your space and move opponents out of it. Pucks are going to go in off you, their going to drop down in front of you and sometimes it’s going to be your teammate getting the chance but you’re doing the most important part by owning that area and fighting for it. Jesse has the natural tools to do that job better then most he just doesn’t think that way. He also has a terrific inadvertent ability to enrage opponents and take them off their game. He’s big and strong and alot to handle and he’s always got a smile on his face in between whistles. That really gets under guys skin.

I loved battling in front of the net and drawing penalties. Kind of bugs me that we haven’t had a player that makes his living in front of the net for a long time, JP definitely could be that guy.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I think he’s got a chance to be a really valuable player without being a scorer if he could just genuinely wrap his head around that fact and focus on making the alterations to his game. We’ve seen plenty of examples of players like Jesse with similar skill sets, who with time and experience find their scoring touch in the back half of their careers. His package makes it so hard for me to believe cutting bait is the right decision but his mindset isn’t evolving and that’s the problem.


He reminds me of a kid I used to coach who was pretty strong on his skates and just a package of big , raw strength. In the corners he’d put 2-3 opponents on their backs just swinging his ass around looking for the puck in his feet. Like Jesse he wasn’t opposed to playing in front of the net but he got there and he was always so focused on the puck and I’d always tell him, the puck doesn’t matter it’s going to be there. That area in front of their net is your land, you own it and these guys think it belongs to them. Don’t be an offensive player in front of their net, play like it’s your net front and it’s your land. Defend your space and move opponents out of it. Pucks are going to go in off you, their going to drop down in front of you and sometimes it’s going to be your teammate getting the chance but you’re doing the most important part by owning that area and fighting for it. Jesse has the natural tools to do that job better then most he just doesn’t think that way. He also has a terrific inadvertent ability to enrage opponents and take them off their game. He’s big and strong and alot to handle and he’s always got a smile on his face in between whistles. That really gets under guys skin.

Fully agree with your post. There's enough utility in his game to adapt into a solid support player who can play a strong, defensive role on a good team. And the big frame to be a solar eclipse in the offensive blue paint obstructing goaltender vision and drawing defensemen in to guard. In the no touch modern NHL game that's an immovable object.

But it all comes down to a mindset change to accept these strengths as a cornerstone to a successful NHL career.

 

[McBooya42]

I think I want to get me a Skinner jersey. I wish that they'd offer the limited-edition Turtle Island jerseys for sale to the public. They looked amazing.

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

I think he’s got a chance to be a really valuable player without being a scorer if he could just genuinely wrap his head around that fact and focus on making the alterations to his game. We’ve seen plenty of examples of players like Jesse with similar skill sets, who with time and experience find their scoring touch in the back half of their careers. His package makes it so hard for me to believe cutting bait is the right decision but his mindset isn’t evolving and that’s the problem.


He reminds me of a kid I used to coach who was pretty strong on his skates and just a package of big , raw strength. In the corners he’d put 2-3 opponents on their backs just swinging his ass around looking for the puck in his feet. Like Jesse he wasn’t opposed to playing in front of the net but he got there and he was always so focused on the puck and I’d always tell him, the puck doesn’t matter it’s going to be there. That area in front of their net is your land, you own it and these guys think it belongs to them. Don’t be an offensive player in front of their net, play like it’s your net front and it’s your land. Defend your space and move opponents out of it. Pucks are going to go in off you, their going to drop down in front of you and sometimes it’s going to be your teammate getting the chance but you’re doing the most important part by owning that area and fighting for it. Jesse has the natural tools to do that job better then most he just doesn’t think that way. He also has a terrific inadvertent ability to enrage opponents and take them off their game. He’s big and strong and alot to handle and he’s always got a smile on his face in between whistles. That really gets under guys skin.

His size and his posture (when he's not hunched over) actually reminds me of Jason Arnott. If only he could emulate his game a little better.

 

[Mav3rick07]

Somehow this always happens in recent years but we never have as many OT losses as other teams so we lag behind in overall points.

I think our offence is so strong and our defence is so bad that it's mathematically impossible for us to get games to overtime.

 

[foshizzle]

Yeah, because we all know how we can get any type of player at any time. Easy peasy.

Maybe take a quick read of what I said again. Comprehension is hard. Allocating 5M to address the actual issue vs throwing it at an experiment is easy peezy.

To Hollands defense. Then he had taken tje higj rsik of betting the job on a rookie in skinner. People would had been furios.

Not really. I think most posters were pessimistic on Campbell. Aside from that- if Holland decided last year that Skinner was more important to the organization and gave him more playing time instead of Koskinen- he might have know what he had in him. He did the same with Bouchard and then ended up overpaying for Barrie. I also think most posters here recognized the defense needed to be addressed first. He ended up failing on both fronts. Dude just can’t build a team.

 

[Stoneman89]

Not at the moment while Kane is out. Until we need the cap or an equivalent trade offer is made to upgrade the team try Puljujärvi on the d zone dot. Jesse is not hurting this team at all right now.

What is hurting this board is the ad redirection. Having to type out comments multiple times. I can't even use the bold function without getting redirected.

Edit: got it to work, finally!

As a 3 million dollar winger that has played multiple games with McDavid and in the top 6, and scoring only 1 measly goal through 28 games, and with the team needing goals from other than their top core, and subsequently only being 4 games over .500 at this stage in the season, yes, he is doing his part to hurt them.

Sam Bennett 2.0

We don't need the cap until Kane is ready to return or a quality trade is in place to improve the team.

But we need production. No one can deny that.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Any hair on your pizza?

Hahaha. Nope it was good.

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

@tardigrade81 I just got home from Moose Jaw on Tuesday. I'm curious, why does it burn when I pee? It's like pissing razorblades.

 

[Yuke]

Maybe take a quick read of what I said again. Comprehension is hard. Allocating 5M to address the actual issue vs throwing it at an experiment is easy peezy.


Not really. I think most posters were pessimistic on Campbell. Aside from that- if Holland decided last year that Skinner was more important to the organization and gave him more playing time instead of Koskinen- he might have know what he had in him. He did the same with Bouchard and then ended up overpaying for Barrie. I also think most posters here recognized the defense needed to be addressed first. He ended up failing on both fronts. Dude just can’t build a team.

Holland is building a franchise. All three of those moves you just stated were the proper moves.
People complained he didn't grab Kemper from Arizona, he tried just got out bid. Avs are now down a 1st and a prospect for 1 year, and a cup. We would be in the same shoes, without a cup.
I'm sure if fans compared all the NHL moves, the bad would out number the good. Use the Flames as an example, there are 4 guys signed in the last 2 years that aren't holding up their end of the bargain.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

I loved battling in front of the net and drawing penalties. Kind of bugs me that we haven’t had a player that makes his living in front of the net for a long time, JP definitely could be that guy.

Same here and I was a piece of shit about it.

I started life as a boxer even before hockey so I had incredible stamina and high pain tolerance. Small guy but I was strong on my skates and had a low Center of gravity. Being the smaller guy in those areas you get away with murder but it’s much easier to draw calls. I never stopped working, skating, fighting to the death every second and I was nasty and mean but as soon as the whistle went I was smiling in their faces and nothing pisses a guy off more. Once I knew they were frustrated and I was under their skin that’s when the chirping started.

I really miss being a ruthless piece of shit.

 

[tardigrade81]

@tardigrade81 I just got home from Moose Jaw on Tuesday. I'm curious, why does it burn when I pee? It's like pissing razorblades.

Lmao!!!!! That city is dirty as hell. I suggest going to a doctor pronto maybe don’t sleep with your wife for the time being. You don’t want to spread that moose jaw nastyness

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

Not really a cap dump with 2/3 of the season left and 2 million owed to him. I see him more of a throw in to make the cap work on a trade.

That what I meant sorry. No team is going to acquire him as an asset because of the 3 million QO so he's only worth the what he provides for the rest of the season. Almost negative value until he's non tendered

All he had to do is park in front of the net while playing with McDrai and he probably guarantees that money for himself imo.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

Hamblin Kostin and Broberg are unsung hero's of the turnaround imo

 

[Tarus]

Hamblin Kostin and Broberg are unsung hero's of the turnaround imo

Broberg getting a bit of a push, and not having to see Murray in the last 10 games has stabilized and improved things a bit.

What a waste of a signing Murray was

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Broberg getting a bit of a push, and not having to see Murray in the last 10 games has stabilized and improved things a bit.

What a waste of a signing Murray was

K. Russell replacement.

 

[Giggleplex]

Broberg getting a bit of a push, and not having to see Murray in the last 10 games has stabilized and improved things a bit.

What a waste of a signing Murray was

Don't see how it was a waste. He was meant to be a 7D and step in if/when our young D struggles, and he's doing just that.

 

[Tarus]

Don't see how it was a waste. He was meant to be a 7D and step in if/when our young D struggles, and he's doing just that.

The young D had to step in for Murray, who was struggling.

He's not an NHL player anymore and doesn't provide any kind of safety net.

 

[foshizzle]

Holland is building a franchise. All three of those moves you just stated were the proper moves.
People complained he didn't grab Kemper from Arizona, he tried just got out bid. Avs are now down a 1st and a prospect for 1 year, and a cup. We would be in the same shoes, without a cup.
I'm sure if fans compared all the NHL moves, the bad would out number the good. Use the Flames as an example, there are 4 guys signed in the last 2 years that aren't holding up their end of the bargain.

Building a franchise? What are you talking about? He inherited two of the best players on the planet putting up numbers not seen in 30 years. If he was able to surround them with an average NHL team we would be talking about multiple cups. What has he surrounded them with? When they are not on the ice, a bottom of the NHL club in terms of GF%. It has gotten worse every year under his watch. He has continued his trend of over paying and over valuing. The bad far outnumbers the good. Lol, the standard you have set is the flames? You should be looking at Tampa and Colorado. Fans weren’t clamouring for just Kenper. Fans wanted to fix the defense, not overpay Nurse, and get a decent goalie. He failed on the goalie, he failed on the defence, and he failed on the bottom 6. He got bailed out of a terrible deal for Keith, and failed to build an analytics dept.

 

[Yuke]

Building a franchise? What are you talking about? He inherited two of the best players on the planet putting up numbers not seen in 30 years. If he was able to surround them with an average NHL team we would be talking about multiple cups. What has he surrounded them with? When they are not on the ice, a bottom of the NHL club in terms of GF%. It has gotten worse every year under his watch. He has continued his trend of over paying and over valuing. The bad far outnumbers the good. Lol, the standard you have set is the flames? You should be looking at Tampa and Colorado. Fans weren’t clamouring for just Kenper. Fans wanted to fix the defense, not overpay Nurse, and get a decent goalie. He failed on the goalie, he failed on the defence, and he failed on the bottom 6. He got bailed out of a terrible deal for Keith, and failed to build an analytics dept.

18 skaters on a team there bud and Its a cap world. Approximately 25% of the Oilers cap is spent on these 2 guys. He is trying to fill the shelves since they were almost bare when Ken started his job. This is northern Alberta, not some hiding place in the comforts of USA. Notice how UFAs are coming now, prior to that we got Lucic, Pouliot, Ference, etc.
It will take time to get it set right. What would you prefer, all in now but when you go to resign you see we have no futures coming or, when it is time to resign there are guys ready to make the jump.
You are also wrong with your goalie or D. Biggest complaint last year (& years prior) was goaltending.
And you picked 2 out of 32 teams, Yzerman set Tampa up and Sakic has been with the Avs since 2015, doesn't happen overnight.

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

My new religion is Haitian Voodoo Battle Torture. It's mostly watching chicks with big bouncy tits

 

[McSuper]

That what I meant sorry. No team is going to acquire him as an asset because of the 3 million QO so he's only worth the what he provides for the rest of the season. Almost negative value until he's non tendered

All he had to do is park in front of the net while playing with McDrai and he probably guarantees that money for himself imo.

No need for the sorry. We can have different view of a cap dump just like we can have different views of how to make the Oilers better. I just view a cap dump as something you have to pay make it go away. I don't think Puljujarvi is there yet. Now if he was signed to a 3 year contract I would agree he is a cap dump.