You guys are likely to have to trade a 1st to just get rid of his contract.
"
Jesse Puljujarvi: I purposely saved Puljujarvi for last. His time in an Oilers uniform is nearing its end. I don’t see a path forward for the player and the team beyond the next several weeks. I’m not going to beat the player up.
The unfortunate reality is it’s going to cost the Oilers a high draft pick to move him to another team in a trade. One of the more surprising positive statistics about Puljujarvi’s game is the fact he leads the Oilers in hits (89) but the rest of his game doesn’t add up and he’s not worth his $3 million salary. The good news, for a team that acquires him at the deadline, is he’s on an expiring contract. It’s the only reason he is a target to be moved. (Look at it this way –
the team acquiring the Oilers' first round pick along with Puljujarvi is essentially buying the pick from the Oilers. They pay the remainder of Puljujarvi’s contract for the year
but get a first-round pick in return.)"
Former scout Jason Bukala starts a weekly series on how the Canadian NHL teams should approach the trade deadline with a look at the Edmonton Oilers and their need for better team defence.
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