Value of: A Finnish player to EDM (that's a regular in the lineup)

Halla

Registered User
Jan 28, 2016
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Im not sure what edmonton could realistically offer for leo.
Yakupov +?
 

McFlyingV

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Feb 22, 2013
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Edmonton, Alberta
He'll be fine with Pakarinen/Sallinen (whoever makes the team as 4th line/extra forward) and if he goes to the AHL there will be some Finns there too. He seems to understand English just fine anyways.
 

Finnpin

"internet"
Oct 10, 2005
11,735
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Helsinki
The idea is find an NHL regular who can help mentor Puljujarvi. He struggles with English at this point, and there's undoubtedly a culture shock in coming over to North America.
Like how? because his english sucks? Jesse moved away from home when he was 13 or something to play hockey in Northern Finland in city of Oulu which is probably the world's most northern high tech industry city. He doesn't move from middle of tundra to Edm. Plus Finland is quite "North Americanized" country anyways.
 

heilongjetsfan

Registered User
Jul 4, 2011
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The Oil bought out Korpikoski - who probably wasn't good enough to play every night - and have Pakarinen, who is similar in role (13th forward). The idea is find an NHL regular who can help mentor Puljujarvi. He struggles with English at this point, and there's undoubtedly a culture shock in coming over to North America. Malkin talks about how important Gonchar was for him, and it seems a fairly common practice to ease a young player's transition. So who's out there and what's the price?

Komarov?

Filpuula?

Any Finnish D? (Vatanen would be ideal, but that's not likely).

How about a pretty Finnish girl studying at UofA?
 

Andreas Ferrari

Dale is the GOAT!!!
Apr 4, 2015
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WinnerPeg
This sounds like a real problem for you guys. Luckily we have a cunning linguist in Komarov we could pair him with. How about you just ship him to us for Freddy the Goat, and your problem will be solved. We might even send you Jared Cowen, to help shore up your D.

I see what you did there.
 

SmellOfVictory

Registered User
Jun 3, 2011
10,959
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Technically, that's against the terms of the CBA, but I wouldn't put it past the Oilers to try something like that after the Tkachev debacle.

Pretty sure it's not against the CBA for normal buyouts; was only the case for compliance buyouts. However, most bought-out players probably aren't keen on re-signing with the team that bought them out for a significant discount (and likely the team that bought them out is equally uninterested in bringing them back once they've been bought out).
 

Joe MacMillan

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Aug 10, 2005
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Helsinki
On the Finnish scale, his english is in the bottom 10% of the age class.

Some people have no head for languages and Poolparty might be one of them.

Everyone can learn a foreign language if they have a willingness to learn it. And in order to learn you need to speak the language. Get comfortable speaking it, speak it exclusively if possible. There is no obstacles to learning as long as there is a will, that's just the way of life.

There is no shortcuts. The best and most effective way for Puljujärvi to learn English is spend as much time with the English speaking teammates as possible and everything will fall into place naturally. He'll get more comfortable speaking the new language with each passing day. Might be a bit awkward at first, but he'll get the hang of it in no time.

In short: in order to learn English the most effectively, he needs to forget Finnish. Mixing them together during a learning process is a distraction.
 

Acetylene

Every dog has it’s day
Jul 10, 2010
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Sweden
Does he speak Swedish? Honest question, since he was born there, and his parents likely does.
 

pesko

Registered User
Sep 14, 2004
971
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Pulju strikes me as someone who has had zero interest in anything but hockey, and likely hasn't had much exposure to the English language either in school or through books. He's been taking English lessons since the WJCs and has improved a lot already. He'll be fine after a few months or speaking and hearing nothing but English.
 

Zen Arcade

Bigger than Kiss
Sep 21, 2004
20,310
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Pittsburgh
I don't know why Pakarinen wouldn't be good enough. Jiri Hrdina helped Jagr adjust to North America and he was a depth player by that point in his career.
 

Joe MacMillan

Registered User
Aug 10, 2005
4,903
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Helsinki
Pulju strikes me as someone who has had zero interest in anything but hockey, and likely hasn't had much exposure to the English language either in school or through books. He's been taking English lessons since the WJCs and has improved a lot already. He'll be fine after a few months or speaking and hearing nothing but English.

That's the impression I get as well. He just hasn't learnt the language because he hasn't been exposed to it. No one learns how to speak English in school, in Finland they teach you in school about the vocabulary and grammar basically, but to be able to speak it beyond the basic level you need to be exposed to the language and get used to it.
 

Sky04

Registered User
Jan 8, 2009
29,686
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Filppula could be had for pretty cheap, Lightning need to clear capspace for next season. Plays wing or center but he's great at faceoffs so you'd probably want him there.
 

Lempo

Recovering Future Considerations Truther
Feb 23, 2014
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Isn't that the whole point of this thread? Jesse's expectations have been dashed.

I got the airs that his suddenly remembering Korpikoski playing there was rather a happy afterthought lighting up some time after having heard he's going to Edmonton, more than anything else. "Hey, don't we have that one guy of ours..." rather than "Yay, mentor figure, my career's saved!"

Look at him going there in his Oilers tracksuit and an ill-fitting cap happy as a monkey. Thirteen-inna-dozen look in any Finnish town they play pesäpallo in. The Boy Has Come Home.
 

Lempo

Recovering Future Considerations Truther
Feb 23, 2014
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In short: in order to learn English the most effectively, he needs to forget Finnish. Mixing them together during a learning process is a distraction.

... or a building block to a successful Oilers career. ;)
 

Ekblad

#5
Mar 10, 2010
2,492
17
Miami, Florida
You need a Jussi Jokinen clone, worked wonders for the development of Barkov (tho they dont play on the same line, you can tell it's been important for Barkov). Now im not saying you can have jokinen, he's awesome. I think Ruutu or filppula would be your best bet
 

Ghost Bear

Registered User
Mar 7, 2015
662
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You need a Jussi Jokinen clone, worked wonders for the development of Barkov (tho they dont play on the same line, you can tell it's been important for Barkov). Now im not saying you can have jokinen, he's awesome. I think Ruutu or filppula would be your best bet
Tuomo Ruutu might be just the guy. He has been a hero for the Finnish national team and surely is a player that Puljujärvi has been looking up to.
 

Lempo

Recovering Future Considerations Truther
Feb 23, 2014
27,726
86,699
Tuomo Ruutu might be just the guy. He has been a hero for the Finnish national team and surely is a player that Puljujärvi has been looking up to.

You guys should get him as a delayed + for the Hall trade.

edit: very delayed. He seems to be unsigned after 4-year contract expiring after last season? Any intel on possible re-signing?
 
Last edited:
Mar 14, 2011
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Leafs also needs Komarov in helping Zaitsev and Soshnikov get accustomed to North American culture.

 
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Kahvi

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Like how? because his english sucks? Jesse moved away from home when he was 13 or something to play hockey in Northern Finland in city of Oulu which is probably the world's most northern high tech industry city. He doesn't move from middle of tundra to Edm. Plus Finland is quite "North Americanized" country anyways.

I'd guess the culture shock (if there's any) would be the opposite: moving from a small city of Oulu to Edmonton.

Anyway I think Pulju will be fine, he's a high draft pick and the Oilers will surely take good care of him.
 

feffan

Registered User
Sep 9, 2010
1,949
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Malmö
It means more the first half year than manys seem to understand. After that, not so much.

To further dig in to the whole McDavid/Pulju is the new Gretzky/Kurri... Kurris was completley worthless at english when he crossed the pond early 80´s. He was hesitant to even go over, but Hagman and Siltanen (both played for the Oilers Kurris two first seasons there...) convinced him to go for it.

But Pulju seems so dedicated and proffessional for that young age, that I don´t think it will effect him much either in the short in the long run. But the first half year or so might see him underachieving. But as said in this thread, he moved away from home at a young age. He´s used to it. And Edmonton is at least more Finland than many other cities in the leauge.

And maybe he gets an chance on the first line with McDavid. And two so smart players will understand each other even without speaking the same language perfect. And if it goes well on the ice, it will go great outside the rink.

As an swede we don´t have to dig deeper than our 3 Art Ross winners to hear stories about hard first years. Forsberg called both agent and swedish club about going home during his first 2-3 months in the leauge in spring 1995. Sedins where thinking about it after their first contract and before the 04/05 lockout. For that mather, the runner up to Forsberg in Markus Naslund was about to give up on the NHL after his first tough years.
 

Lennu32

Registered User
Oct 4, 2011
1,210
38
Im on the Haula bandwagon... Ideal 3rd line C if Oil move RNH

That happens only if EDM moves RNH or Draisaitl to MIN and takes back quite a large amount of salary, like Pominville :laugh:

I agree though that Haula would be ideal #3C for EDM, but he is that also for MIN :)
 

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