Future of Jesse Puljujärvi

[Frank Drebin]

How come people are overly negative whenever a Finnish player is discussed? I've never seen the amount of negativity towards any other nationality, always Finnish players and teams and people... pretty interesting. Even weirder is the apparent need to prove to everyone by any means necessary that this Finn or that Finn is horrible and never had anything positive about them. A very common theme on social media and in real life from my experience, people are very very passionate about Finns it seems

Go check the shane wright thread

 

[belair]

When that player is a former Top-5 pick, they absolutely get the time of day to try to salvage something out of them. Heck, even Jake Virtanen got a run as a Top-6 Forward even though he had a lot of the same problems as Puljujarvi.


Sure, he's big and can be a physical presence, but he lacks the hockey sense to apply those tools effectively. He has also always lacked the agility and effective stick to be useful in that sort of role.

Just being big size and a former high pick will get a guy a ton of extra opportunities, but it still has a shelf life. At the end of the day, if he's missing the critical tools to apply the tools he does have effectively, he's just not a useful NHLer.

He's never been physically imposing as an NHLer because it's just far too easy to spin out of his path and he can't adjust. The hits he did make when he was "healthy" were often completely out of the way of where he really ought to be. He was also below average in "puck battles" because his actual handling of the puck even if he won it, was poor. He's not a good passer, and moreover, he really never demonstrated any awareness of how to use his stick effectively to control lanes and dictate play defensively and on the forecheck. He just sort of barged in out of control and sometimes made contact with someone.

A lot of smaller, physically weaker players are massively more effective on the forecheck because they understand how to apply pressure intelligently.

At a certain point the player's draft pedigree is meaningless though. Ken Holland and Jay Woodcroft had no skin in the Puljujarvi game. He earned his role with McDavid, earned his bump in salary and he also earned the demotion and subsequent trade.

Your criticisms of him are valid. And I agree with some of the more specific details. But even as the flawed player, yes, he's capable of making a positive contribution. I also have some questions as to how much his hip issues have impacted his mobility. And whether that's permanent.

 

[sepHF]

If JP was as effective as the fancy stats crowd thinks he is, he would have an NHL contract

I would be absolutely shocked if a team picks him up

 

[Discipline Daddy]

If he wants, he might get a PTO and get league min on a one way deal with a good camp. I think that's if everything goes right for JP.

He has a good heart and I feel for him. Played "hard" on the Canes but he was 100% ALWAYS in the wrong spot of the ice. If you watched him the whole shift, he was running wild. It was comical in a sense. He didn't fit with anybody.

At the time, I chalked it up to some of the worst hockey IQ I have ever seen at the NHL level. Like waaay below replacement level. But after the surgery, I wonder how much of it was just his body couldn't be where his mind wanted.

He could hit still and was a physical player in spite of everything but he just looked so lost out there.

 

[biturbo19]

At a certain point the player's draft pedigree is meaningless though. Ken Holland and Jay Woodcroft had no skin in the Puljujarvi game. He earned his role with McDavid, earned his bump in salary and he also earned the demotion and subsequent trade.

Your criticisms of him are valid. And I agree with some of the more specific details. But even as the flawed player, yes, he's capable of making a positive contribution. I also have some questions as to how much his hip issues have impacted his mobility. And whether that's permanent.

Ehhh...i don't think draft pedigree really should matter that much, but the reality is...there's always a GM or Coach who thinks that they're the one who is going to magically unlock the true potential of a big, formerly high draft pick. They get an unusual amount of latitude because coaches always desperately want the player that they think that guy is supposed to be.


If the hip issues have sapped his mobility permanently, then yeah...he's absolutely cooked as a player. That straight line speed combined with his size was really the only thing he actually had going for him. He also obviously didn't have the agility to begin with, to be able to afford getting any worse in that respect.

But i do still think blaming that is a cop out. He was a deeply flawed, mostly ineffective player before that. He had the speed and willingness to look like he was trying hard and that will also gain a player a longer leash with a lot of coaches. But he was never really effective.

 

[MessierII]

If he can get healthy he could be a great bottom 6 guy. Two double hip surgeries by age 25 though? Yikes. He was a good player away from the puck. Because of his injuries I think his NHL career is over.

 

[KCC]

He is. I never understood why people use that argument. A non-productive NHL forward would not get the time of day on those lines. Apart, he's still a bottom six caliber forward and was willing to add a physical edge prior to the trade last season.

He's a fast, physically imposing forward that wins puck battles. There's room for a guy like that on teams if he's committed to improving. There are a lot of weaker players out there who have roles.

If he can recover from the surgeries then yeah, maybe. But he still has zero IQ and he just isn't very good. Plain and simple. If he couldn't figure it out 6 years into the league he will never figure it out. Thw question is if any team is willing to forgo a player's non existent IQ for "skating and working hard".

 

[scholl]

He has a good heart and I feel for him. Played "hard" on the Canes but he was 100% ALWAYS in the wrong spot of the ice. If you watched him the whole shift, he was running wild. It was comical in a sense. He didn't fit with anybody.

At the time, I chalked it up to some of the worst hockey IQ I have ever seen at the NHL level. Like waaay below replacement level. But after the surgery, I wonder how much of it was just his body couldn't be where his mind wanted.

I agree with you. I thought that he was in bad shape because he was also the first one to go to the bench but maybe it was because of thise injuries.

In my opinion he needs a team where he has enough time to learn the system. His rehab is going well in Connecticut, he is skating already. That is a good sign and I wouldn't be surprised if he signed before the training camps start.

Oilers and Canes were wrong type of teams for him because of pressure to succeed. He needs a team in rebuild that has young players and less pressure.

 

[jonlin]

I suspect he will get a .800-1M show me deal fo a year from a bottomfeeder.

 

[WayTooCold]

His hips are shot I think he's done in the NHL. I see Puljujärvi signing in the KHL for 1 million rubles per year. After 1 year he will write an emotional letter to Putin how he actually wants to be a Russian. Putin invites Puljujärvi to fishing in Siberia. Puljujärvi catches a 5.7kg fish and Putin is impressed. He decides to give Puljujärvi free pizzas for 3 years from Russian Pizza Hut and make Puljujärvi as the official memelord of the Russian Federation.

 

[King 88]

Switzerland, Sweden or Finland.

 

[gritdash60]

Kind of surprised 1/5 think he will get a NHL contract after that big surgery, wont even be ready for the start of season.

 

[yzerman]

I think he most likely will join the rodeo circuit next year.

 

[WayTooCold]

Puljujärvi was born in Älvkerleby, Sweden. I could see him going back to the SHL to play in his home country.

 

[banks]

I have nothing against the guy. But Puljujarvi's NHL career is over. He has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he can't do the job.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I have nothing against the guy. But Puljujarvi's NHL career is over. He has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he can't do the job.

He had 36 points and was +22 in 65 games at one point. Just sayin, for a brief moment he was Buffalo king.

 

[banks]

He had 36 points and was +22 in 65 games at one point. Just sayin, for a brief moment he was Buffalo king.

Getting prime opportunities with the best player of the last 30 years, and he barely made it to half a point-per-game. I'd say for a brief moment he look passable on-paper. Even that is generous, as 36 points is a dismal career high.

He followed that up with a worse season where his team finally gave up on him, capped with a career worst PPG after being traded.

His time in Edmonton proved that he couldn't make it work in any role, as he was tried everywhere on the roster. And his time in Carolina showed that the problem wasn't Edmonton. He's done. Done.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Getting prime opportunities with the best player of the last 30 years, and he barely made it to half a point-per-game. I'd say for a brief moment he look passable on-paper. Even that is generous, as 36 points is a dismal career high.

He followed that up with a worse season where his team finally gave up on him, capped with a career worst PPG after being traded.

His time in Edmonton proved that he couldn't make it work in any role, as he was tried everywhere on the roster. And his time in Carolina showed that the problem wasn't Edmonton. He's done. Done.

Ok but- never don’t remember.

Never. Don’t remember.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Great history lesson for future draft evaluators to not overlook hockey IQ even if they guy has all the tools. Clearly Jarmo knew the guy was dumb as hell.

Why didn't your guys?

 

[Volica]

Great history lesson for future draft evaluators to not overlook hockey IQ even if they guy has all the tools. Clearly Jarmo knew the guy was dumb as hell.

That was the red flag of the century if there ever was one.
The first Finnish GM in the NHL was like... HARD PASS on this guy. Easily the consensus #3 at that draft too.

 

[Forgot About Drai]

From this post it would seem you have never seen Puljujärvi play hockey, not even for a second. He wasn’t even close to a good NHL player with healthy hips, to think that’s the only reason he isn’t a ”terrific checking forward” is objectively false.

He had a pretty good run at one point - 36 points in 65 games and was a nightmare to handle in front of the net. The year previous, 25 in 55. His body just fell apart and his hockey IQ wasnt enough to make up for it.

Never elite or dominant, but to say he was never even close to being a good NHL player is false.

 

[OKR]

He had a pretty good run at one point - 36 points in 65 games and was a nightmare to handle in front of the net. The year previous, 25 in 55. His body just fell apart and his hockey IQ wasnt enough to make up for it.

Never elite or dominant, but to say he was never even close to being a good NHL player is false.

You’re kidding, right? He played on a line with the two best offensive players in the NHL, had ~70% OZS and he managed to score around at the same pace as Yakupov did in one of the worst Oilers teams ever, and was scratched by nearly every coach he had. Player who isn’t good enough defensively to ever get applied in the D-Zone getting spoonfed some of the best opportunities to score in the league and putting up points at replaclement level player pace isn’t a good NHL player.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

He sucks and if you don't like me, Suomi.

The answer you seek is in the above sentence, but takes great skill to decipher it

 

[Forgot About Drai]

You’re kidding, right? He played on a line with the two best offensive players in the NHL, had ~70% OZS and he managed to score around at the same pace as Yakupov did in one of the worst Oilers teams ever, and was scratched by nearly every coach he had. Player who isn’t good enough defensively to ever get applied in the D-Zone getting spoonfed some of the best opportunities to score in the league and putting up points at replaclement level player pace isn’t a good NHL player.

I never said he was very good or dominant or even living up to potential. But he had a stretch where he earned his way into the top 6 and had pretty strong hot streak before he got injured/covid. You said "close to being good" - he was certainly close at one stretch.

 

[OKR]

I never said he was very good or dominant or even living up to potential. But he had a stretch where he earned his way into the top 6 and had pretty strong hot streak before he got injured/covid. You said "close to being good" - he was certainly close at one stretch.

On that stretch he literally scored at the same pace as for example Alex Belzile did last season, despite getting much better opportunities and more favorable deployement with better players. That’s not close to being a good NHL player, unless you consider every one who is a replacement level player in the NHL ”good”.

Also lol at earned, they literally gave him that top 6 position to try and get atleast something out of him because he isn’t good enough defensively to play bottom 6 role.