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

[Spawn]

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

There is nothing wrong with teammates having a heated conversation on the bench.

A bigger concern would be if it effected Pulju so badly he slumps for two weeks.

I didn’t mind his fit with McLeod and Foegele last night. A lot of speed and size on that line.

 

[McDanglez]

It just seems with JP he's missing something in his game, he always seems just a bit off. Even when he is having success, it still seems like hes never fully in sync.

 

[Teemu Nymander]

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.

exactly. And remember who brough up his confidence - Draisaitl with his unselfish maneuver. That's why I believe that Puljujarvi would be much more comfortable playing with Draisaitl.

 

[Soundwave]

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.

I don't think it's solely that offside. McDavid has set him up with a good 5-6 point blank chances and he's kinda failed to convert, so I think he needed a little bit of a break. That said some regression had to happen, if he kept scoring at the rate he was early in the year, you're talking about like 50+ goals, lol, which would mean we can't even afford to sign him in the summer.

 

[Stoneman89]

Hyman's having the same issues (scoring) but I think his level of play is still the same, he's just having some bad puck luck. Jesse is definitely not playing as well as he was a couple weeks before, but he hasn't been flat out bad, just not as good. Needs to level out the grade of his game as he continues to mature.

 

[Studz]

I think Jesse needs to trust his hockey instincts more, which he has tons of. I think it is obvious they want him as a net front presence as he always heads there to disrupt the goalie and take a defenseman or two with him. This takes away his chances but allows McDavid or Draisaitl to have more time and space.

 

[Garbo Man]

I think Jesse needs to trust his hockey instincts more, which he has tons of. I think it is obvious they want him as a net front presence as he always heads there to disrupt the goalie and take a defenseman or two with him. This takes away his chances but allows McDavid or Draisaitl to have more time and space.

Another thing i see is that when he IS on the PP with the big guns he NEVER gets utilized...like EVER...honestly it's the same with Hyman. When Chaisson was the net front presence he was utilized way more than Pulju or Hyman have been this year. Granted our PP is historically bonkers this year but i feel like they need to start using the guys in front of the net a little more instead of trying to force passes through the box to McDavid/Drai because teams are starting to expect them to do that and they STILL keep doing it anyways...regardless of if it's working that night or not.

 

[JayE]

Puljujarvi has been fighting it a bit offensively, but he's still an excellent forechecker and very solid defensive forward. No issue playing him with McLeod and Foegele - that line is not easy to play against.

 

[bobbythebrain]

It just seems with JP he's missing something in his game, he always seems just a bit off. Even when he is having success, it still seems like hes never fully in sync.

Whoa,whoa, whoa. @OfCorsiDid will get his panties in a bunch with this statement. JP is the best powerforward since Lindros apparently

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Whoa,whoa, whoa. @OfCorsiDid will get his panties in a bunch with this statement. JP is the best powerforward since Lindros apparently

Oh look @bobbythebrain jumping to another irrational conclusion.

If that was an olympic sport you’d definitely be the gold medalist!

 

[bobbythebrain]

He's excellent defensively, but the dude lacks creativity like crazy. He needs to realize he can buy his own time and space. He shoots as a default and looks to dish every second

 

[bobbythebrain]

Oh look @bobbythebrain jumping to another irrational conclusion.

If that was an olympic sport you’d definitely be the gold medalist!

Nope. Just realize the guy rarely takes a chance to buy himself a foot of space

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Nope. Just realize the guy rarely takes a chance to buy himself a foot of space

Same as you’ve said for the last 4 years.

Oh there’s another olympic sport for you, sticking to illogical opinions despite the evidence!

Congrats! Gold medal again!

 

[FlameChampion]

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?

Yeah JP just doesn’t look as happy these days. Whether it’s because of the tongue lashing or JP just struggling, who knows. I don’t have a problem with another teammate getting heated with one another, but I haven’t really seen McDavid act like that towards anyone else, so it comes across as weird to me. Hopefully its more of the case where McDavid is being hard on JP because he thinks highly of him and knows he can be better rather than just a frustration thing. If its a frustration thing, as leader of the club, I think McDavid needs to be better.

 

[FlameChampion]

He's excellent defensively, but the dude lacks creativity like crazy. He needs to realize he can buy his own time and space. He shoots as a default and looks to dish every second

I wish he would hold onto the puck more and make more plays with the puck. He was earlier in the year. Now it just seems like he tries and gets the puck away as quick as possible. I almost feel like a coach or teammate had asked him to make quicker plays with the puck and he’s stuck in his head a bit.

On the other hand, I kinda like his simple game on this team. He has a shooter mentality, he forechecks hard, he goes to the net religiously. He plays a pretty simple game. Sometimes I wish more players on this team played a more simple game like him.

 

[Kerberos]

but I haven’t really seen McDavid act like that towards anyone else, so it comes across as weird to me.

This really stuck out to me as well. Both the instance in the post season and earlier this season.

McDavid has played with numerous players who have f***ed up, repeatedly, and he has never reacted to their play like he has JP's on those two occasions. I think it's fine and just another aspect of his evolution as a leader and someone who demands better from his teammates but I'm curious as to why these outwardly demonstrative displays are only suitable towards Jesse and not Yamamoto, or Kassian or...

 

[XXIV97]

This really stuck out to me as well. Both the instance in the post season and earlier this season.

McDavid has played with numerous players who have f***ed up, repeatedly, and he has never reacted to their play like he has JP's on those two occasions. I think it's fine and just another aspect of his evolution as a leader and someone who demands better from his teammates but I'm curious as to why these outwardly demonstrative displays are only suitable towards Jesse and not Yamamoto, or Kassian or...

It could be that McDavid or Draisaitl know that Puljujarvi is capable of more. There is no real point in yelling at Kassian since we know what he is.

 

[Kaptah2]

Jesse is 4th on the team on points/game. He is playing well, we are over-reacting as usual.

 

[Anarchism]

Jesse is 4th on the team on points/game. He is playing well, we are over-reacting as usual.

Not true. Jesse's future ...either where he ends up in the line up or if he stays on the team beyond this year hangs in the balance. Next training camp the challenges for RW will be epic. Stumble this season and/or a prospect (Bourgault, Savoie) blows the doors off....and Jesse might be playing third line ...or traded in a package for a final piece we need in the first half of next year.

Jesse better grab one of the assistants and start coming an hour earlier and work on his timing and positioning. Obviously the front liner has spoken and Jesse needs to put in the work to do what needs to be done.

Not saying things will continue at this rate but normaly 'I'm here' Kassian got three points and could have had 4 or 5 with better timing/brain. Everybody is looking.
Teams are adapting to the tic tac toe of the power play and cross ice passing by collapsing/using active sticks and sending one man out at a time. There are fewer opportunities and McD and Drais are changing their game a bit. The Bison King on the wing has got to close at a certain percentage rate.

 

[PulYou]

It could be that McDavid or Draisaitl know that Puljujarvi is capable of more. There is no real point in yelling at Kassian since we know what he is.

Jesse plays his best when he is happy, smiling and confident. McDavid having temper tantrums is not helpful.

 

[Kaptah2]

Seems to be more happy on the 3rd line, nice goal tonight. Hope they can keep the line intact for a few games, I sense potential.

 

[HockeyHistorian]

I don't care about what line he plays on, but he needs more minutes.

 

[JayE]

I think they can have an elite 3rd line with the way they're setup now. Foegele and Puljujarvi fore-checking together is an absolute nightmare for defensemen.

 

[urho]

Did anyone else notice that playing without McDavid Pulju made much more creative plays and held the puck a little longer? I thought he was excellent against Vegas. One thing he has to learn that even though it's good he understands he's a supporting act when playing with McDrai, that shouldn't limit his creativity too much. You can be a fore checking demon and make some plays, doubt it would be held against him.

 

[McTonyBrar]

I don't care about what line he plays on, but he needs more minutes.

He was in a slump and he was playing lots of minutes. He played great on the third line and on the PP. Let him play there for now. He’s still a young player