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

[MettleMcOiler]

No McDavid needs to be a Care Bear

McDavid strives to be the best he can be, and I can see how emotions can be overwhelming when you want to win.

I think if McDavid plays it cool, and keeps reminding Puljujarvi what he needs on certain plays. It will click. Remember Puljujarvi is still developing his english, so he's probably getting all the raw energy and not all the details that Connor is trying to convey in the middle of the game. I think once Puljujarvi knows what you want from him, he can do it.

 

[Kaptah2]

I have had a similar hip surgery as Pulju. It only gave me relief for a limited period of time. Hope I'm wrong, and Pulju's recent struggles aren't because of his hip area problems returning.

 

[LTIR]

I have had a similar hip surgery as Pulju. It only gave me relief for a limited period of time. Hope I'm wrong, and Pulju's recent struggles aren't because of his hip area problems returning.

Him shooting straight into the gloves or the pads of the goalie has nothing to do with his hips.

 

[LTIR]

ARI should take more penalties.. they looked dominant during their last PK

 

[Kaptah2]

Him shooting straight into the gloves or the pads of the goalie has nothing to do with his hips.

Hip problems create stiffness all around the midsection. It affects everything. You have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[LTIR]

I assure you that stiffness in midsection affects everything. Problem is not the pain.

He looked fun on the 2 on 1 that McLeod botched... Pulju just isn't sniping them lately.. his hands will come back

 

[LTIR]

Lol this team

 

[LTIR]

Nuge playing the goalie

 

[TheNumber4]

Confidence and good feeling sis key for Pulju. He’s been off ever since McD blew his lid over an offside. Small thing that I’m sure Pulju can shrug off… but then being demoted back to no-mans land in the bottom 6…. We’re playing with fire here with an unreal talent that we should be doing everything we can to help flourish.

 

[elmaco]

Shades of Chiarelli

 

[Porkleaker]

Hip problems create stiffness all around the midsection. It affects everything. You have no idea what you are talking about.

Wow let's not panic, I have dried up sperm on my ceiling older than Poolparty (don't ask), he's going to be fine. Kassian had a hell of a game and earned the spot for now but JP will be back!

 

[McJadeddog]

He looked fun on the 2 on 1 that McLeod botched... Pulju just isn't sniping them lately.. his hands will come back

He isn't a sniper though, never has been and likely never will be. He has been snake bitten after his really hot start, but he is still playing well over all and getting LOTS of chances, so he'll get his goals again soon enough. Let's be honest, Pulj is a 15-25 G guy anyhow, not a 25-35 G guy.

 

[MettleMcOiler]

Puljujarvi does lots of good things on the ice, if he keeps building on that and having fun doing it. He'll find his rhythm again. He's important part of this team and is one of the big guns, even if he hasn't fully realized it yet. God Bless him, hopefully he gets one soon!

 

[Czechboy]

I was very big on the bring back JP wagon. I felt we mishandled him and was on his side when he left. FTR.. I still think Shlep could help us too!

However, I've never thought he was elite. He is a big bodied, strong skater with a hard shot. What I've never seen is a cerebral player. He is akin to a Labrador Retriever. At his lowest here, I still wanted him back because he'd be an amazing bottom 6 guy who can tilt the ice and learn to PK.

He entered the season with roughly 30G, 30A in 200 games (roughly). A lot of people were expecting him to put that up in one season. I'm a bit skeptical about that. I see he's a specimen and I think he'll be a really good 50 point complimentary player that I hope stays with us for a long time.

He had 1 point in 5 games going into last night playing with McDavid and Hyman and quality minutes. I think Tipp did the right thing. I expect hm back on top line soon. The Kass thing is temporary.

I am curious if he can eclipse his career total and get 60 points. I'm guessing 50 and I'm ecstatic with that! He can defintely tilt ice and skate. I think he'd be in a 7 game playoff battle as he must be exhausting to deal with.

Labrador. Note I'd use Bison but they aren't that fast most the time.

 

[PulYou]

I have had a similar hip surgery as Pulju. It only gave me relief for a limited period of time. Hope I'm wrong, and Pulju's recent struggles aren't because of his hip area problems returning.

I don’t know if it is a tell tale, but he rarely uses his big booty any more in recent games.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I don’t know if it is a tell tale, but he rarely uses his big booty any more in recent games.

He's been on the receiving end of some big hits the last while too. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he is playing injured.

 

[3IR]

Kids going through a rough stretch after a start that even the most optimistic fans didn't realistically expect he'd sustain.

The important thing is he's still getting those chances, he's still forechecking hard, and he's still making things happen. Last night he probably would have had a goal if that drai pass didn't get stopped halfway on the mcdavid goal, and I remember him getting a couple chances from inside the hash marks that didn't work out. He also gave Mcleod a freebie that he refused to shoot.

I'll be worried if he stops playing the way we know he can, but for now I think him being moved around the lineup a bit to help him discover he's not a product of McDrai is an alright move as long as he's still seeing some PP time to keep that confidence up, and isn't playing on the fourth line.

I really like the thought of:

Hyman Nuge JP
Foegele Mcleod Yam

but JP with Mcleod and Foegele isn't the worst either.

As much as I hate stacking McDrai, there's no way Tippett moves away from it, so these other guys in the top 9 may as well learn to play together too while we have this hot start to figure it out.

 

[3IR]

I was very big on the bring back JP wagon. I felt we mishandled him and was on his side when he left. FTR.. I still think Shlep could help us too!

However, I've never thought he was elite. He is a big bodied, strong skater with a hard shot. What I've never seen is a cerebral player. He is akin to a Labrador Retriever. At his lowest here, I still wanted him back because he'd be an amazing bottom 6 guy who can tilt the ice and learn to PK.

He entered the season with roughly 30G, 30A in 200 games (roughly). A lot of people were expecting him to put that up in one season. I'm a bit skeptical about that. I see he's a specimen and I think he'll be a really good 50 point complimentary player that I hope stays with us for a long time.

He had 1 point in 5 games going into last night playing with McDavid and Hyman and quality minutes. I think Tipp did the right thing. I expect hm back on top line soon. The Kass thing is temporary.

I am curious if he can eclipse his career total and get 60 points. I'm guessing 50 and I'm ecstatic with that! He can defintely tilt ice and skate. I think he'd be in a 7 game playoff battle as he must be exhausting to deal with.

Labrador. Note I'd use Bison but they aren't that fast most the time.

View attachment 484070

I think JP plays the type of game where his production is going to really depend on where he is in the lineup, but his game itself won't change. He plays a simple, effective game, and is still improving in a lot of areas.

We need to keep in mind he's still played less than a full 82 game season since returning from europe. He's played 78 games including playoffs, and has 42 points and 22 goals in that span.

I think he can be a Hyman type player with more size and a better shot. Don't expect him to be out there creating something out of nothing, or consistently carrying a line, but playing him with legit top 6 players, I think he's a regular 20g 50pt player minimum. If he gets a regular PP spot, I could see 30g 60pts being a regular occurrence.

 

[PulYou]

Also it was on 12th of November against Buffalo when McDavid yelled at him for being offside. I don’t know if it is a co-incidence but after the incidence Jesse has not produced and he kind of has played timid and safe. He is at his best when smiling and enjoying the game. Maybe playing with McLeod will help bring the smile back?

 

[Aerrol]

View attachment 484087

Also it was on 12th of November against Buffalo when McDavid yelled at him for being offside. I don’t know if it is a co-incidence but after the incidence Jesse has not produced and he kind of has played timid and safe. He is at his best when smiling and enjoying the game. Maybe playing with McLeod will help bring the smile back?

I'm sure that one event wasn't the end all be all but I do think he's in his head a little bit right now. Jesse is very obviously an emotional player and I hope he starts feeling it again. He should still be proud of the way he's to checking and positioning but you can definitely see his puck handling slipping as he gets more anxious.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

View attachment 484087

Also it was on 12th of November against Buffalo when McDavid yelled at him for being offside. I don’t know if it is a co-incidence but after the incidence Jesse has not produced and he kind of has played timid and safe. He is at his best when smiling and enjoying the game. Maybe playing with McLeod will help bring the smile back?

I would hope for 2 things:

#1 that getting a tongue lashing isn't enough to get him off of his game

#2 that if it is, that his teammates take a different approach with him

 

[Czechboy]

View attachment 484087

Also it was on 12th of November against Buffalo when McDavid yelled at him for being offside. I don’t know if it is a co-incidence but after the incidence Jesse has not produced and he kind of has played timid and safe. He is at his best when smiling and enjoying the game. Maybe playing with McLeod will help bring the smile back?

I've only ever seen MdDavid get pissed at a teamate twice.

Playoffs at JP
The offside above at JP

Has anyone seen Connor get mad at anyone else in game?

I think it goes back to the cerebral thing. JP has an unstoppable motor and doesn't always think. Bull in a China shop.

I"m definitely not worried about him and think he'll get back on track. By track I mean 5o to 6o points and not 80 to 100.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

He is slumping and it is a concern, but again the NHL is hard if you aren't named Draisaitl or McDavid (or Ovechkin this year).

I hope he starts to pick it up a bit in the next few weeks, my concern is he isn't creating as much as he was, needs to get back to that.

 

[Whyme]

Pulju is a very pedant person and it's also possible he takes what he's told too seriously, especially if it comes from someone like McDavid. I felt a part of the problem (of course just a small one) in his first NHL visit was that he was told to play a different hockey that he was used to and he tried to follow the advice he got from McLellan too literally.

As said above Pulju's playing style will cause a lot of good, but in that speed he'll inevitably end up being in wrong places at times. Maybe he took the advice too seriously and is thinking too much now. I could be wrong as I haven't been watching the games lately (the time really is difficult here in Finland), just the highlights so I'm really just guessing based on what I've seen earlier and what I know about Pulju.

 

[elmaco]

View attachment 484087

Also it was on 12th of November against Buffalo when McDavid yelled at him for being offside. I don’t know if it is a co-incidence but after the incidence Jesse has not produced and he kind of has played timid and safe. He is at his best when smiling and enjoying the game. Maybe playing with McLeod will help bring the smile back?

I hate this childish crap, time for McD to start acting like an adult.