Player Discussion Jesse Puljujärvi 4th Overall 2016 Draft.

[teravaineSAROS]

Jesse Puljujarvi, who has had some similar criticisms about his inability to finish

come again?

 

[bobbythebrain]

come again?

He does have Finnish problems...he was born in Sweden

JP's scoring touch has only been questioned cuz of his comparison to Laine

 

[snipes]

He does have Finnish problems...he was born in Sweden

JP's scoring touch has only been questioned cuz of his comparison to Laine

But he's a significantly better skater and 200 foot player. I think his game translates better to the NHL than Laine's the more I watch both.

 

[Aceboogie]

He does have Finnish problems...he was born in Sweden

JP's scoring touch has only been questioned cuz of his comparison to Laine

Thats how I saw it too. In comparing Laine/matthews to Puljujarvi it was more like "ok they are smart, they are pwfs who can control a game, really good hands BUT Laine is a better finisher" Not that Puljujarvi cant, just not as good as Laine. MPS had legit concerns he could do it at NHL level

If you watch Puljujarvi, he is all over the ice and can score from a variety of ways. Hes no one trick pony (ie skating fast down wing and shooting)

I think his tools are insanely good and match some of the best top picks recently. However I will agree that maybe lack of finish could prevent him from being one of best wingers in the game. Because right now he has elite speed, size, and IQ so if he had Laines shot hed be Kovalchuk 2.0. But even if his finishing isnt Laines level, itll still be Hall level or Eberle level. Good but not elite

 

[Aceboogie]

Also, as a person whos watched hours of Puljujarvi highlights: can we talk about how good Aho is going to be. Damn dude looks like Backstrom/Giroux out there. He actually upstages Puljujarvi a good amount in his own highlight pack

He is so incredibly shifty and smart and a next level passer.

 

[snipes]

Also, as a person whos watched hours of Puljujarvi highlights: can we talk about how good Aho is going to be. Damn dude looks like Backstrom/Giroux out there. He actually upstages Puljujarvi a good amount in his own highlight pack

He is so incredibly shifty and smart and a next level passer.

Aho will be better than Marner.

 

[Aceboogie]

Aho will be better than Marner.

I can actually see it. I could see him being better than a lot of people tho, including Reinhart, Nylander, Bennett, Strome and even LD. Hes the next big 2nd round steal

 

[snipes]

I can actually see it. I could see him being better than a lot of people tho, including Reinhart, Nylander, Bennett, Strome and even LD. Hes the next big 2nd round steal

Yup. When I went back and studied Pulju's game, Aho stood out over and over again. He's the real deal, and he steps up his game against the better competition. At the WJ level Marner has not been as dominant. The showcase a couple weeks back was pathetic from him, falling all over the ice. Turnover after turnover and he just looked small and weak. This was compared to his U20 peers.

Aho elevates his game in tougher competition. He was a PPG this year in Liiga playing against men. 14 points in 7 games at the 2016 WJC, 7 points in 10 games at the 2016 WHC. His game appears to transition better than Marners at this point.

 

[BB88]

Thats how I saw it too. In comparing Laine/matthews to Puljujarvi it was more like "ok they are smart, they are pwfs who can control a game, really good hands BUT Laine is a better finisher" Not that Puljujarvi cant, just not as good as Laine. MPS had legit concerns he could do it at NHL level

If you watch Puljujarvi, he is all over the ice and can score from a variety of ways. Hes no one trick pony (ie skating fast down wing and shooting)

I think his tools are insanely good and match some of the best top picks recently. However I will agree that maybe lack of finish could prevent him from being one of best wingers in the game. Because right now he has elite speed, size, and IQ so if he had Laines shot hed be Kovalchuk 2.0. But even if his finishing isnt Laines level, itll still be Hall level or Eberle level. Good but not elite

I think we can say that in 1 half of a season he's had conserns over scoring, 1st half last season.

But if we look at his stats from the past years.

2012-2013, Jesse 14y.

U16- 12 goals, 20 points in 8 games, playoffs = 15 goals, 24 points in 11 games.
U18- 31 goals, 51 points in 42 games.

2013-14, Jesse 15y.

u16- 5 points in 1 game,
u18- 7 goals, 14 points in 8 games,
u20- 12 goals, 23 points in 18 games, 7 goals in 12 playoff games.

2014- 15, Jesse 16y.

u20- 12 goals, 18 points in 11 games,
Mestis, 2nd best league- 8 goals, 13 points in 15 games,
Liiga- 11 points in 21 games,
u18- 7 points in 7 games.

2015-16,
tough 1st half- 9 points in 31 games?
WJC, 5 goals- 17 points in 7 games,
Liiga- 26 points in the last 29 games,
U18- 5 goals, 7 points in 4 games, and he joined the team mid tourney, had a knee injury, wrist injury, was throwing up 2h before the finals and scored a hattrick.

I think those are alright stats.

 

[A91]

In hindsight that 2015 draft could've easily been
Mcdavid
Connor
Aho
Bear
Jones
Paigan

Wow

 

[Joe MacMillan]

I think we can say that in 1 half of a season he's had conserns over scoring, 1st half last season.

But if we look at his stats from the past years.

2012-2013, Jesse 14y.

U16- 12 goals, 20 points in 8 games, playoffs = 15 goals, 24 points in 11 games.
U18- 31 goals, 51 points in 42 games.

2013-14, Jesse 15y.

u16- 5 points in 1 game,
u18- 7 goals, 14 points in 8 games,
u20- 12 goals, 23 points in 18 games, 7 goals in 12 playoff games.

2014- 15, Jesse 16y.

u20- 12 goals, 18 points in 11 games,
Mestis, 2nd best league- 8 goals, 13 points in 15 games,
Liiga- 11 points in 21 games,
u18- 7 points in 7 games.

2015-16,
tough 1st half- 9 points in 31 games?
WJC, 5 goals- 17 points in 7 games,
Liiga- 26 points in the last 29 games,
U18- 5 goals, 7 points in 4 games, and he joined the team mid tourney, had a knee injury, wrist injury, was throwing up 2h before the finals and scored a hattrick.

I think those are alright stats.

Good post. The criticism of his finishing ability isn't backed up by the numbers. Jesse has always shown to be able to score aside from the 1st couple months this past season, over which he received 3rd/4th line minutes (and actually played bottom 6 role for the most part) and was adjusting to Liiga. Since the end of WJC he was back to his form and the production (and goal scoring) spiked accordingly.

 

[Booster*]

Here he shows how it´s done in the finals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUxfTTGk6Qs

I get bitter fans from rival teams takings stabs but he´s an Oiler. Dare to belive and trust your eyes.

 

[Aceboogie]

Good post. The criticism of his finishing ability isn't backed up by the numbers. Jesse has always shown to be able to score aside from the 1st couple months this past season, over which he received 3rd/4th line minutes (and actually played bottom 6 role for the most part) and was adjusting to Liiga. Since the end of WJC he was back to his form and the production (and goal scoring) spiked accordingly.

I think its fair criticism. I mean if he had elite skating, vision, hands, speed AND scoring ability/finishing hed be unquestioned #1. As a top prospect (but not the best) he must have some blemishes in his game. The critique is not that he cant finish, its just that its not as elite as Laine or Matthews (who are elite in that area).

 

[Kyyrii]

Good post. The criticism of his finishing ability isn't backed up by the numbers. Jesse has always shown to be able to score aside from the 1st couple months this past season, over which he received 3rd/4th line minutes (and actually played bottom 6 role for the most part) and was adjusting to Liiga. Since the end of WJC he was back to his form and the production (and goal scoring) spiked accordingly.

And I also believe that he was adjusting to his body too. You could see that during World Juniors he was about the same height as Laine even thought in Liiga page their heights were about three centimetres apart, Laine being taller. I also believe that Jesse put too much pressure on himself when season started: he very well knew where his draft ranking was standing. He wanted to show that he can play against men given that he was penciled in the first line; in a professional league against full grown men, as a 17 year old who was going to play his first full Liiga season, in a team that had won Liiga championship two consecutive years. He also had to learn Marjamäki's style of play which was very D orientated.

And then in whc something clicked. Jesse got his groove back, his ability to score and make plays. And his junior stats really tell us that he can score. Hell, back in his junior days in ice ball he did score 10+ points per game He just had issues with his tools but when he found his toolbox he became more consistent as you can see; almost 0.9 PPG in regular season after whc and 0.9 PPG in Liiga play offs. And he did play play offs with a bad knee.

I have followed hockey more intensively 10+ years now and I do admit that we Finns tend to hype our prospects way too much and way too high. But never have I been surer that someones play will transfer, and even fit better, well in NHL than I am about Pulju. Mikke and TT had their size and Mikke also had his skating. Pulkkinen I saw too one dimensional. Aho may have his struggles given his size, even thought I truly believe in him. Same goes with Laine, I believe that he will score more than Jesse but he may also need more time to adjust for games tempo.

And, I can't believe it, but it is less than month and we see first pre-season games. I do hope that Jesse is ready to go and 100% healthy. I know that Yak is apparently already back in Edmonton but when rookies tend to come to the city? I know that Jesse's former team mate has already gone to Columbus and just wonder when we can wait Jesse to leave. (First week of September given the travelling and jet lag? Is there some training together before Penticton? When do rookies have to report to Oilers?)

 

[BB88]

Good post. The criticism of his finishing ability isn't backed up by the numbers. Jesse has always shown to be able to score aside from the 1st couple months this past season, over which he received 3rd/4th line minutes (and actually played bottom 6 role for the most part) and was adjusting to Liiga. Since the end of WJC he was back to his form and the production (and goal scoring) spiked accordingly.

I don't know how accurate all these sites are but I'm remembering Pulju was about 13lbs heavier at the start of season as he was the season before.
He grew+ was trying to find his place in Liiga, which resulted him having confidence issues.

On the 2nd half Jesse started to score goal scorers goals again, they weren't lucky goals, they were earned.
One of the conserns I noticed around here after his WJC + 1st half performance.

 

[VainGretzky]

I personally think Pul can end up being the best of the draft yes better then Matthews . He has size hockey sense good skater great passer good shot . His WJC dominance is a great sign on what were getting. He is the complete package.

 

[Booster*]

I think its fair criticism. I mean if he had elite skating, vision, hands, speed AND scoring ability/finishing hed be unquestioned #1. As a top prospect (but not the best) he must have some blemishes in his game. The critique is not that he cant finish, its just that its not as elite as Laine or Matthews (who are elite in that area).

Honest question, have you ever watched a full game he has played?



He is very near Laine in overall ability and the second best prospect in this draft according to me, most people who seen him play alot, this guy Igor https://twitter.com/galkevich32/status/685115126022848512 and Selänne among others thinks they are in their own league.

It really isn´t a slight towards Matthews either since he is a very good player.
What people fail to realize is that that the NHL is about making money, the US market is way bigger than Finland because of population and possibilities to expand the market a lot. An Arizona guy is just so much more intersting for the average american than some finns they just recently heard of which is very understandable.


http://www.torontosun.com/2016/06/25/auston-matthews-a-marketing-bonanza-for-leafs compare this in revenues, jerseys sold vs a guy who hardly speaks english from some small european country.


Toronto mangement are employed by the team owners who wants to maximize profit, they needed a center, the public opinion and media was heavily favouring Matthews and they knew he also has great skill. Easy choice what to do if you want to make sure you keep your job.

If someone wants to say hey, why did Yakupov go first in the draft then? I dont think it´s a pure coincidence many russian players were over-valued at a time when KHL signed some high profile names and became a distant but scary competator to the NHL, also the russian market is way bigger than the finnish.
NHL want to stay as the undisputed top dogs, profit and image goes first, the sport is second among those who handle the big bucks.

That´s not the case for the fans of course who love the beautiful sport of hockey around the world, but of course it´s very hard to get a full outside picture from the inside.

Anyways, have your doubts if you want, the game is played on the ice and the puck favours no one

 

[duul]

I think we are going to see Puljujarvi get top PP time next year in place of Eberle. Fact of the matter is Pulju can rip one timers better than any other right handed shot we've had in a long time (Stoll)?

Eberle has great hands but his release is so slow that I feel Puljujarvi is going to be placed there instead to add another element to our PP.

 

[Aceboogie]

Honest question, have you ever watched a full game he has played?



He is very near Laine in overall ability and the second best prospect in this draft according to me, most people who seen him play alot, this guy Igor https://twitter.com/galkevich32/status/685115126022848512 and Selänne among others thinks they are in their own league.

It really isn´t a slight towards Matthews either since he is a very good player.
What people fail to realize is that that the NHL is about making money, the US market is way bigger than Finland because of population and possibilities to expand the market a lot. An Arizona guy is just so much more intersting for the average american than some finns they just recently heard of which is very understandable.


http://www.torontosun.com/2016/06/25/auston-matthews-a-marketing-bonanza-for-leafs compare this in revenues, jerseys sold vs a guy who hardly speaks english from some small european country.


Toronto mangement are employed by the team owners who wants to maximize profit, they needed a center, the public opinion and media was heavily favouring Matthews and they knew he also has great skill. Easy choice what to do if you want to make sure you keep your job.

If someone wants to say hey, why did Yakupov go first in the draft then? I dont think it´s a pure coincidence many russian players were over-valued at a time when KHL signed some high profile names and became a distant but scary competator to the NHL, also the russian market is way bigger than the finnish.
NHL want to stay as the undisputed top dogs, profit and image goes first, the sport is second among those who handle the big bucks.

That´s not the case for the fans of course who love the beautiful sport of hockey around the world, but of course it´s very hard to get a full outside picture from the inside.

Anyways, have your doubts if you want, the game is played on the ice and the puck favours no one

I'm only repeating what I saw for criticisms throughout the year. Not major critics or anything. I've only seen highlights and who's tho. If he has laine like scoring ability I'll be over the moon

 

[Joe MacMillan]

I think its fair criticism. I mean if he had elite skating, vision, hands, speed AND scoring ability/finishing hed be unquestioned #1. As a top prospect (but not the best) he must have some blemishes in his game. The critique is not that he cant finish, its just that its not as elite as Laine or Matthews (who are elite in that area).

I don't think the criticism is warranted. Not saying Puljujärvi is above criticism, just that this particular one has no basis in reality. Puljujärvi has shown to have great scoring instincts and finishing ability as proven by the numbers throughout the years in junior and professionally.

I believe the concerns over his finishing ability originate from the 1st half of this past season and has devolved from there. As pointed out he struggled at scoring for a variety of reasons over that period but regained his scoring touch at the WJC and finished the season strong.

Using Laine's or Matthews's finishing ability as the benchmark isn't fair. Puljujärvi is an excellent finisher in his own right and voicing criticism over not being on their level as a goal scorer isn't reasonable. No one in their right mind would criticize Crosby for lacking goal scoring ability just because he isn't on the level of Ovechkin in that regard. That said, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Puljujärvi ended up being the better goal scorer than either of Laine and Matthews when it's all said and done, regardless of whether he'll play with McDavid or not.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

I think we are going to see Puljujarvi get top PP time next year in place of Eberle. Fact of the matter is Pulju can rip one timers better than any other right handed shot we've had in a long time (Stoll)?

Eberle has great hands but his release is so slow that I feel Puljujarvi is going to be placed there instead to add another element to our PP.

That's true Pulju's shot is really good but a bit underrated ( Compared to Laine's shot).

 

[ijuka]

How much was Puljujärvi playing with Aho during 5 on 5 in Kärpät, anyway?

 

[bobbythebrain]

That's true Pulju's shot is really good but a bit underrated ( Compared to Laine's shot).

I wouldn't say it's underrated to Laine's. His is just world class

 

[Hagged]

I wouldn't say it's underrated to Laine's. His is just world class

Pulju's shot might be harder than Laine's. It isn't more accurate though.

 

[Mr Positive]

Pulju's shot might be harder than Laine's. It isn't more accurate though.

In the NHL, having the harder shot might matter more. More and more scoring is from broken plays and other greasy plays. Checking, blocking, and systems stifle players like Laine. A guy like Ovechkin can play the role of an elite sniper, but Laine doesn't have Ovechkin's supporting skills, and the Caps build their whole team around Ovechkin to make his scoring work.

I imagine that Laine will have better highlight packages than Puljujarvi, with lots of individual plays and power play snipes, but Puljujarvi will have as good or better impact on scoring as a whole.