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

[Fourier]

Sure. I was just playing devil's advocate. It's not like every point that McDavid, Drai or Gretzky has scored have been all that impressive, and if you start qualifying some points, it leads to a very slippery slope where you really ought to do it to all points scored by anyone.

Agreed. But he will be subject to the ...but McDavid...response for a long time I suspect. Even Draisailt still has to deal with that.

 

[urho]

Is it just me or is everybody celebrating their (and their teammates) goals much more since Jesse joined the club? Even McDavid shows much more joy now.

 

[Oilhawks]

lol, text-tv, didn't know it still existed

would look up text-tv 377 for game scores every morning before school

EDIT: still works lol

I don’t know what this is but I like it!

 

[nabob]

Sure. I was just playing devil's advocate. It's not like every point that McDavid, Drai or Gretzky has scored have been all that impressive, and if you start qualifying some points, it leads to a very slippery slope where you really ought to do it to all points scored by anyone.

Was just pointing out that Jesse still made productive plays with the puck that led to the goal. Just as deserving of an assist as Foegle on the first Kassian goal IMO.

 

[Evilsports]

I found an obscure Puljujarvi highlight video:

 

[nafrelio]

I found an obscure Puljujarvi highlight video:

His ability to fight off wild cats is an underappreciated asset. Such a nurturing father too. We got ourselves a winner here!

 

[TheNumber4]

I like his penalty last night on Zegras(?). Jesse has been too nice of a player for too long. Just one for tool for his toolbox. A bit of a mean streak here and there is good. Will also make people take note around the league that he isn't just going to take all these cheap shots.

One day I fully expect him to just maul some guy with his size and the League will take notice and stop bothering him.

 

[Broberg Speed]

I found an obscure Puljujarvi highlight video:

If Jesse was a pioneer that would be him. My only wish is that it was in 1080p.

 

[Whyme]

It's pretty generally thought Jesse was bad in his first NHL visit and has completely turned his game around. It's true there's some major changes (physicality, confidence, consistency) but if one takes a closer look there were pretty promising things earlier:

In December 2016 he was the youngest player of the NHL and was maybe sent to the NHL too soon, but according to this article "In 5-on-5 play Puljujarvi ranks first on the team in various shot share metrics: Corsi, Fenwick, shots on goal, at around the 57% level in all cases."
Are the Edmonton Oilers doing right by Jesse Puljujarvi? | National Post

Just before Christmas 2017 his ESG/60 was the 8th best in the NHL. Here's an article about how he did after 14 games:
https://thehockeywriters.com/jesse-puljujarvi-getting-comfortable/

Please don't take me wrong, I know Jesse had problems, too, especially when playing in the bottom 6 and towards the end of the first NHL visit.

The reason I now write about this is I can't believe nobody was ready to pay the price Holland asked. I mean I'd think these things and the success in Finland would make someone feel there might be some real potential? It's quite incredible I and we all can now witness these new steps happening in the Oilers. I've now seen many other teams fans talking about Puljujarvi, either as an example of a great growth story or as a player they wish to somehow get. Too late now.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

I don’t know what this is but I like it!

That’s like a virtual newspaper updated in real time and available on demand. Kind of similar to those first search engines back in the day, where we often searched for content (or rather browsed through out of curiosity) by indices/categories instead of keywords, but in a much simpler format and quicker and easier to use. It even has the index like a normal book would and each “page” has its own page number.

It was a very popular service in Finland until the web took over and every major broadcasting company provided their own. You didn’t have a similar service in Canada?

 

[Whyme]

That’s like a virtual newspaper updated in real time and available on demand. Kind of similar to those first search engines back in the day, where we often searched for content (or rather browsed through out of curiosity) by indices/categories instead of keywords, but in a much simpler format and quicker and easier to use. It even has the index like a normal book would and each “page” has its own page number.

It was a very popular service in Finland until the web took over and every major broadcasting company provided their own. You didn’t have a similar service in Canada?

Exactly. Different channels have their own text-tvs. Decades ago before the FEL games were broadcasted on radio every real hockey guy was following games through the text-tv if they weren't in a game. When the radio and later TV broadcasts started they were still used alongside to see how other games were going or how Finns were doing in Formula One. One simple page that shows you all the main info (results, scorers, assists, saves, time played, audience etc.).

I think it still beats the current news services in some ways. Simple and easy architecture but lots of info, quick way to check the news, hockey scorers and other sports results etc. Just use the remote to quickly scroll through the pages. There's also something refreshing about the rough format.

 

[Whyme]

I don’t know what this is but I like it!

In case you or anyone else happens to be interested there are internet versions of these text-tvs. Here's a link to the text tv of YLE, the Finnish national broadcasting service. It's in Finnish, but there's a few pages of English news starting from the page 190. It looks even rougher when scrolled from a computer, but like I said sometimes a rough and simple service may beat the modern complex ones. And the beaty is the easyness of using a TV remote instead of clicking to open new pages.

Teksti-TV | yle.fi

This is a link to one of the NHL pages.
Sivu 235 | Teksti-TV | yle.fi

I apologise this OT (no more from me now), which must be boring to some, but for us Finns it's a bit of a legend and a nostalgy trip

 

[Oilhawks]

That’s like a virtual newspaper updated in real time and available on demand. Kind of similar to those first search engines back in the day, where we often searched for content (or rather browsed through out of curiosity) by indices/categories instead of keywords, but in a much simpler format and quicker and easier to use. It even has the index like a normal book would and each “page” has its own page number.

It was a very popular service in Finland until the web took over and every major broadcasting company provided their own. You didn’t have a similar service in Canada?

We might have but I certainly don’t remember one. If not, we should have!

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Jesse did a nice job bulldozing his way to the net on McDavid's first goal, preventing two Coyotes from engaging, opening the lane for that shot and screening the goalie at the same time. I think Connor also pointed at him out as he was celebrating.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Yup that was a solid play by Jesse to but Connor a lot more space and time.

 

[Kyyrii]

Some after game thoughts from Connor:
"He's always creating space out there. He's such a big man and he's kimd of figured this game out. He's such a good complimentary player and a great player in his own right."

"You give him time and space, he's dangerous. Tonight I just kind of followed him into the slot there, he took a bunch of guys to the net there."

 

[Mr Sakich]

oh good, just what the rest of the league was hoping for. Connor figures out a new way to score

These guys are emerging as the defined pair with the option of interchanging the other winger

 

[McDNicks17]

Leading the team in 5v5 points. Two more than anyone else. Has a point on every 5v5 goal that’s been scored while he was on the ice.

 

[3IR]

Leading the team in 5v5 points. Two more than anyone else. Has a point on every 5v5 goal that’s been scored while he was on the ice.

 

[Aerrol]

I am just thrilled to see Jesse thriving. I love how much he seems to love hockey and he genuinely seems like a great guy. After buying a Yakupov jersey for a lot of the same reasons, I held off of getting a Pulju one because I was sure we were going to ruin him too and crush his love for the game. So YOU'RE WELCOME EVERYBODY!

(also I'm very very happy to have been wrong. He looks phenomenal out there this year.)

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Leading the team in 5v5 points. Two more than anyone else. Has a point on every 5v5 goal that’s been scored while he was on the ice.

This also means that he is actually tying for first place in the whole league in even strength points.

 

[Whyme]

Jesse did a nice job bulldozing his way to the net on McDavid's first goal, preventing two Coyotes from engaging, opening the lane for that shot and screening the goalie at the same time. I think Connor also pointed at him out as he was celebrating.

I have to say I expected Pulju to do well this time and I knew he had taken big steps in the physical side, but that is the area that has surprised me the most.

When he started in the NHL he was a big guy, but not big and strong. It was sometimes frustrating as one could imagine what he could do if he developed in that area. Now it's just beautiful to watch how he parks himself by the net or how he pushes the opponents like in this goal.

I'm sure McDavid is thrilled about this and they may well plan these in practises. I dare to say Pulju is elite at creating room and no-one is as good at using that space as McDavid is. However, it's also nice to see Pulju and Drai play together as I believe they have a pretty nice bond nowadays.

 

[Zaddy]

I shudder to think about how bleak it would've been to see Pulju grow into the player he is now but for another team had he been traded for a 3rd round pick or whatever.

Going back to Finland to work on his game and regain confidence in an environment he was familiar with and comfortable in was 100% the right move for him and I'm glad Holland stayed patient.

 

[Whyme]

Jesse hasn't got much PP time (only 1:20 per game), which affects his total numbers, but he's still the 6th in the NHL (2+6 in 5 games). One point away from the 3rd.

He is also the best ES scorer in the NHL (tied with Drai) and his ESP/60 is the highest of the team.

I know it's early and these points don't mean that much at this stage, but it's nice to see how some other teams fans are now talking like "imagine if we'd trade this player X for Puljujarvi as I suggested". I'm sure many GMs are also feeling sorry they didn't pay what Holland asked but I don't mind

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Jesse hasn't got much PP time (only 1:20 per game), which affects his total numbers, but he's still the 6th in the NHL (2+6 in 5 games). One point away from the 3rd.

He is also the best ES scorer in the NHL (tied with Drai) and his ESP/60 is the highest of the team.

I know it's early and these points don't mean that much at this stage, but it's nice to see how some other teams fans are now talking like "imagine if we'd trade this player X for Puljujarvi as I suggested". I'm sure many GMs are also feeling sorry they didn't pay what Holland asked but I don't mind

I loved how he was taking the body as well against a physical Vegas team. I remember early in his career I said that he would rival Draisaitl as our 2nd best player and that he would be better than Taylor Hall. I looked pretty silly for awhile with those statements, but he is starting to really ramp his game up and while reaching Draisaitl's levels may not be on the table (that was before Drai became a Hart level player), he is going to be a great player nonetheless.