Player Discussion Jesse Puljujarvi Part 11: Solid Return Season Completed, How Does Next Season Go For the Big Finn?

[McTonyBrar]

Honestly their hockey opinions are hot garbage, just like most people. Hockey is an insanely random game and trying to make analysis and allegories is in advance is folly. Thus is also making assessments of players based on numbers and facts alone.

That being said the opposite is equally inane. It is a tool, a tool that NHL franchises use. As much as sometimes their opinions and charts may not represent full reality, it is something that should be considered when looking at players.

History that backs up JFresh, Dom, Evolving Wild, etc:
- Lucic signing
- Petry trade
- Ference signing
- Hall/Larsson trade
- Eberle/Strome trade

As much as you may decry the data, it does have a basis in fact.




haw haw haw haw nerds don't watch hockey hurr durr

C'mon man, do better.

? I was dissing JFresh…

 

[Broberg Speed]

Why do you put words in other fans mouths . He never said anything close to that . A coaches job is to get the most out of each player . It is the GM job to sign them or trade them if they can't do so . I hope Puljujarvi has a great year and yes I want him back .

Also by your logic you want to hold the player back so the Oilers can re-sign them cheaply/cheaper . If the Oilers did that why would they even want to re-sign ? I know I wouldn't .

We are in a unique position. Any player that takes that 5th spot on the best power play in the league is going to have an inflated point total and an incredibly productive season in terms of the total points and power play points.

Play a player this season on the power, then sign him to a new contract. Next season take him off of that power play and then you're paying a player over six million that will never be able to come close to those point totals again. Maybe you can't even afford to sign that player after a power play bloated season so you trade him for a nowhere close to equitable return.

Maybe we could split that 1st unit power play time equally between Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto, jack up the point totals of both and loose both players for prospects that you can follow down the line and a couple of draft picks. Then watch our cornerstone centers, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, up and leave after their contracts are completed. Because the team is still the same dog shit every single year they've played hear. It's doable.

Or how about we come out of the gate trying Zach Hyman in that position on 1st unit power play. Expecting him to put up inflated point totals. This is the guy most likely to be the the hardest working skilled player on the team if he can replicate what he did for Toronto in Edmonton. The player we just signed to a 38.5 million dollar contract to come in and jell with Connor McDavid.

 

[McShogun99]

I have zero worries about JP or Yamamoto racking up PP points. The PP is set with McDrai-RNH-Hyman-Barrie unless any of those 5 get injured.

After that you’ll see Nurse and Bouchard swap in for Barrie on occasion and JP/Yamamoto/Foegele swapping in for Hyman.

 

[Oilers In Tree]

 

[urho]

So last year he came in fighting for playing time and giving it all to succeed in that. It's only the first preseason game but am I the only one seeing something different this year? It looks like he's ready to take that next step. Compared to start of last season, he looks so much more confident with the puck. Lots of good passes and patience with the puck. Not sure if it's possible but it looks like he's even faster this year too.

 

[McNuge]

So last year he came in fighting for playing time and giving it all to succeed in that. It's only the first preseason game but am I the only one seeing something different this year? It looks like he's ready to take that next step. Compared to start of last season, he looks so much more confident with the puck. Lots of good passes and patience with the puck. Not sure if it's possible but it looks like he's even faster this year too.

Biggest take away I had from last night about Jesse is how much better he was positionally. At the right place at the right time where as last year he was all over the place when he didn't have the puck.

 

[Aerchon]

Biggest take away I had from last night about Jesse is how much better he was positionally. At the right place at the right time where as last year he was all over the place when he didn't have the puck.

I've always felt Puljujarvi is a solid two way player and there have been comments by coaches and pundits to support that. Stuff like his positioning being bad are completely over blown imo.

What I saw last night was confidence and the ability to be dynamic in the offensive zone. Things we expected when we drafted him and are only now starting to develop.

I think it's too much to expect stardom from Puljujarvi, as he was originally projected by damn near everyone. But a game like last night certainly makes me think he might be able to reach more of his original potential than I am realistically projecting.

 

[McNuge]

I've always felt Puljujarvi is a solid two way player and there have been comments by coaches and pundits to support that. Stuff like his positioning being bad completely over blown.

What I saw last night was confidence and the ability to be dynamic in the offensive zone. Things we expected when we drafted him and are only now starting to develop.

I think it's too much to expect stardom from Puljujarvi, as he was originally projected by damn near everyone. But a game like last night certainly makes me think he might be able to reach more of his potential than I am realistically projecting.

I didn't have a problem with his defensive positioning but rather his offensive positioning. He was always too far ahead of the play and often times being too close to his line mates to be considered open. Last night was completely different. Not once did I notice him drifting towards his line mates when they had the puck instead he was cycling very well and always in a great position to be open.

 

[Aceboogie]

Yeah, but it seems to me that the math based predictions are wrong as often as they are right.

I mean stats guys were bemoaning the loss of Marincin in trade because of denied zone entries or some such. They had him pegged as a top four.

I also saw a lot of math guys say they would take Benning over Nurse.

Like we all do, the numbers guys celebrate their hits and tend to forget a little about their misses.

I find the numbers interesting, but I feel like some fans have way too much faith in them. They are so subject to uncontrolled variables that they seem to be only as good as the person interpreting them.

The only thing Id add to this, is a lot of fans think a lot like NHL head coaches, they have similar preferences to what they want to see in players, player styles etc. The biggest issue is that NHL coaches are FAR from infallible and many of them do not make the most effective personnel decision.

So if player X has great underlying numbers, but to the eye there is something fans/coaches do not like (maybe hes smaller, a bit softer, not flashy etc). Fans will berate the "math models" that have him with good underlying numbers. And then when the coach doesnt play him, or he gets traded for pretty much the exact same reasons the casual fan didnt like him, the fans will take that and say "look, the models say he was top 4 , but he never got played there". One needs to step back and ask if the coach is making the best personnel decisions. Becaus ein many PGT, its all about how the coach is the worst and an idiot.

So just because a player doesnt get played in the top 4, doesnt mean hes not a top 4 caliber D

 

[Fourier]

If he stays engaged, which I expect him to do, he and Hyman will be a major handful for the oppositions defense. It will make it challenging to corral McDavid becuse these two guys will be grinding down the defensemen all night.

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

Won’t be surprised if he out scores laine this year

 

[Bryanbryoil]

If he stays engaged, which I expect him to do, he and Hyman will be a major handful for the oppositions defense. It will make it challenging to corral McDavid becuse these two guys will be grinding down the defensemen all night.

This is why I wanted this line together in the first place. 2 puck hounds that also crash the net and have offensive skill. IMO we are going to see many Sedin-esque cycles this season from this line. That whole sequence that led up to Hyman's goal was fantastic.

 

[Gordian Knot]

I would play McDavid line with increasing ice time period by period and Draisaitl line decreasing. Speedsters in 1st line against tired pylon defenders like Gudbranson, Oleksiak etc. will be unfair.

 

[FlameChampion]

Won’t be surprised if he out scores laine this year

Honestly who knows what will going on with Laine. That dudes so polarizing. That being said, Columbus isnt a good spot for him. Least Tortorella is gone, so that should probably help him a bit.

 

[McTonyBrar]

So last year he came in fighting for playing time and giving it all to succeed in that. It's only the first preseason game but am I the only one seeing something different this year? It looks like he's ready to take that next step. Compared to start of last season, he looks so much more confident with the puck. Lots of good passes and patience with the puck. Not sure if it's possible but it looks like he's even faster this year too.

He looks like how he was dominating the WJC during his draft year to me.

 

[Easternbull]

I excpect "Pojlo" as we call him in Finland to at least have a 50 point season, pp1 or not.

But you just have to love that smile and positive attitude!

Oilers have their own version of Gene Simmons and he will be a stud to boot!

 

[JordanGalhanth]

The biggest issue is that NHL coaches are FAR from infallible and many of them do not make the most effective personnel decision.

So you're saying that an HF Oil diehard would be a more effective coach?

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Hopefully this is just a taster for what's about to come. The assist speaks for itself, but what a great sequence even before that. Having Hyman share the dirty work on this line really seems to give Jesse more time to do the things why he was drafted 4th overall. Obviously this was against Seattle's B-squad, but they were there merely to watch the show.

 

[OilerTitanFan]

I have zero worries about JP or Yamamoto racking up PP points. The PP is set with McDrai-RNH-Hyman-Barrie unless any of those 5 get injured.

After that you’ll see Nurse and Bouchard swap in for Barrie on occasion and JP/Yamamoto/Foegele swapping in for Hyman.

You have zero worries about JP racking up PP points because he won't be on the PP, hence no points, no pressure to score on the PP. Right?

 

[OilerTitanFan]

He looks like how he was dominating the WJC during his draft year to me.

Yup, now all we need to do is make a trade for Aho and Laine and we're set. I think we can get Juolevi for cheap now.

 

[OilerTitanFan]

Ideally Jesse doesn't get much PP time until after he gets extended. I suspect that he has a big season anyway and will be rightfully commanding a mint from us next summer.

That's how you do it, put lesser players out there to lose games so the Oilers can save on a contract. Better hope the Oilers don't make the playoffs and JP gets 20 points max. Typical Oiler thing and Oiler fanboy mindset. The owners can also save on Mcdavid and Draisaitl bonuses by removing them from the powerplay. That's how the rich gets richer.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

That's how you do it, put lesser players out there to lose games so the Oilers can save on a contract. Better hope the Oilers don't make the playoffs and JP gets 20 points max. Typical Oiler thing and Oiler fanboy mindset. The owners can also save on Mcdavid and Draisaitl bonuses by removing them from the powerplay. That's how the rich gets richer.

I get what you're saying, but if JP puts up 60 points this year, how do we afford him? What moves do we make to free up space? What literal moves?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

That's how you do it, put lesser players out there to lose games so the Oilers can save on a contract. Better hope the Oilers don't make the playoffs and JP gets 20 points max. Typical Oiler thing and Oiler fanboy mindset. The owners can also save on Mcdavid and Draisaitl bonuses by removing them from the powerplay. That's how the rich gets richer.

We have another player that can play the role very well and is signed long term. May as well kick RNH and Hyman off of PP1 and put Jesse and Yamamoto on there so that we pay them more than they are currently worth next offseason or maybe we can be lucky enough to have them get offer sheeted because you thought that it'd be a great idea to pad the crap out of his stats. When Jesse grows his game more and is hopefully under contract for at least 3 more seasons, you start to see how he fits on PP1 if we start to struggle and need a new look there.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I get what you're saying, but if JP puts up 60 points this year, how do we afford him? What moves do we make to free up space? What literal moves?

Bingo. It's not like I'm saying put Sceviour on PP1 over Pulju, Hyman is already locked in long term and is a good fit for that role.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

That's how you do it, put lesser players out there to lose games so the Oilers can save on a contract. Better hope the Oilers don't make the playoffs and JP gets 20 points max. Typical Oiler thing and Oiler fanboy mindset. The owners can also save on Mcdavid and Draisaitl bonuses by removing them from the powerplay. That's how the rich gets richer.

Lol how is Hyman a lesser player?