Speculation: WHERE IN THE WORLD IS JESSE PULJUJARVI?

[Khelandros]

With all the free time Sullivan has given him, I was wondering what he could be up to.

Post your wildest speculations and photoshops.

Click to read more...

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Jokes aside, I heard from someone who knows him that he's seriously considering retirement.

 

[Fordy]

he is recovering, sullivan is carefully and personally nursing him back to health

 

[Empoleon8771]

He pulled a Zohorna: put up a lot of points to start (5 points in 6 games) and then quickly faded away offensively (3 points in 15 games). It just seems like Sullivan jumped on it far faster than he did with Zohorna.

Zohorna got until the end of December being useless before Sullivan finally pulled the trigger, Puljujarvi didn't even make it until Thanksgiving before Sullivan gave up on him. Puljujarvi was better than Zohorna but maybe having better alternatives this year could also be a factor here.

 

[Ulf5]

 

[Mr. T]

Sullivan has been waterboarding him in that reverse-Fountain of Youth

 

[Pancakes]

He pulled a Zohorna: put up a lot of points to start (5 points in 6 games) and then quickly faded away offensively (3 points in 15 games). It just seems like Sullivan jumped on it far faster than he did with Zohorna.

Zohorna got until the end of December being useless before Sullivan finally pulled the trigger, Puljujarvi didn't even make it until Thanksgiving before Sullivan gave up on him. Puljujarvi was better than Zohorna but maybe having better alternatives this year could also be a factor here.

Not sure who you play him over either. Nieto sucks but they've been playing Nieto on LW and Jesse is more of a rw.

Maybe you play him over Acciari but Acciari pks.

I wouldn't play him over Tomasino.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Not sure who you play him over either. Nieto sucks but they've been playing Nieto on LW and Jesse is more of a rw.

Maybe you play him over Acciari but Acciari pks.

I wouldn't play him over Tomasino.

Isn't DOC goalless in 29? Nieto or Acciari work too. Trade/waive/demote the trash. Bring back accountability.
If Hayes is gonna be used like this you can send him down too and use the 1.2M on someone younger.

I'd try:
Rakell-Sid-Rust
Tomasino-Malkin-Puljujarvi
Bunting-Lizotte-Glass
Beauvillier-Broz-Bemstrom

Mix and match based on chemistry.
Koivunen + Katchouk as spares when someone above sucks. We got the cap space to carry 14F since trading Eller.

Lizotte and Glass are our best PK'ers. DOC/Nieto/Acciari are below them at it, and their play on the PK is all they bring to the table now.
Their spots aren't justified. They can go.

What's the point in acquiring so much Wilkes depth if we're not gonna use them?

 

[Empoleon8771]

If you want to "bring back accountability", how does that involve playing Puljujarvi with his 3 points in his last 15 games on L2? Especially when Bunting has been very good (15 points in 22 games) after a really bad start and he's on L3 in this setup. [mod]

Not sure who you play him over either. Nieto sucks but they've been playing Nieto on LW and Jesse is more of a rw.

Maybe you play him over Acciari but Acciari pks.

I wouldn't play him over Tomasino.

There really isn't much of a spot for him. The top-9 wingers they have above him (Rakell, Rust, Bunting, Tomasino, O'Connor and Beauvillier) should all be playing above him. Sure play him above Nieto I guess but is Nieto even playing when this team is healthy at this point?

If I could pick the lines right now, I'd be running with:

Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Tomasino
Beauvillier-Lizotte-Glass
O'Connor-Ponomarev-Puljujarvi

But that's already really similar to what they're running with, so it's really hard to get too huffy about the lineup decisions they're making. I don't dislike Puljujarvi but he's not good enough for me to particularly care if he's playing over whatever other non-factor they're playing on L4 in place of him.

I also don't think Acciari has been terrible this year so I wouldn't mind him staying in the lineup. I'd prefer to trade him, but scratching him isn't exactly a productive way to see him get traded.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Isn't DOC goalless in 29? Nieto or Acciari work too. Trade/waive/demote the trash. Bring back accountability.
If Hayes is gonna be used like this you can send him down too and use the 1.2M on someone younger.

I'd try:
Rakell-Sid-Rust
Tomasino-Malkin-Puljujarvi
Bunting-Lizotte-Glass
Beauvillier-Broz-Bemstrom

Mix and match based on chemistry.
Koivunen + Katchouk as spares when someone above sucks. We got the cap space to carry 14F since trading Eller.

Lizotte and Glass are our best PK'ers. DOC/Nieto/Acciari are below them at it, and their play on the PK is all they bring to the table now.
Their spots aren't justified. They can go.

What's the point in acquiring so much Wilkes depth if we're not gonna use them?

Emil Bemstrom and Boris Katchouk have extensive NHL experience. Katchouk is 26 and has played 176 NHL games; Bemstrom is 25 and played 238 NHL games. They are who they are. They're fringe players who play well in the AHL but can't stick in the NHL.

Plus, Katchouk doesn't have an NHL contract. He's an AHL signing, and the Pens are at the contract limit or close to it. That's why there was speculation he could be traded at the time of the POJ deal, even though it turned out that he was just banged up.

Broz isn't ready. He's in his first year as a pro. Let him develop by playing all situations in the AHL. Same with Koivunen. Let them keep enjoying success instead of giving them 10 minutes a night or scratching them.

The most important thing about properly developing players is to bring them up when they're ready, not just because you don't like the current crop of NHL players.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Emil Bemstrom and Boris Katchouk have extensive NHL experience. Katchouk is 26 and has played 176 NHL games; Bemstrom is 25 and played 238 NHL games. They are who they are. They're fringe players who play well in the AHL but can't stick in the NHL.

Plus, Katchouk doesn't have an NHL contract. He's an AHL signing, and the Pens are at the contract limit or close to it. That's why there was speculation he could be traded at the time of the POJ deal, even though it turned out that he was just banged up.

Broz isn't ready. He's in his first year as a pro. Let him develop by playing all situations in the AHL. Same with Koivunen. Let them keep enjoying success instead of giving them 10 minutes a night or scratching them.

The most important thing about properly developing players is to bring them up when they're ready, not just because you don't like the current crop of NHL players.

There's a good chance they would be more useful than current Nieto and Acciari, even if by a small margin. That bar is incredibly low. Nieto and Acciari aren't playing at an NHL-worthy level. Closer to L3 Wilkes level.
Plus I believe it's important for an organization to reward strong play, so it sends a message to the players that training and performance matters. If the players begin doubting that, it will hurt the mentality down in Wilkes and in training camps.
Bemstrom should have earned the call by now. It's not like L4 was cooking and there's no room for him.

We don't know if Broz can't hang at this level. That's a guess. I'd like to confirm that with my own eyes.
If he sucks he can be sent back down in a month. It's no big deal. He's waivers exempt. Plus he's 22, not 18. He might be fine.

We can drop a contract by trading DOC or Acciari. No problem.

I don't see what there is to fear by trying guys. We're not gonna lose any quality on waivers. and we're not gonna destroy anyone's development by giving them a month with the big club. If anything it will help them understand how things are.
On the flip side, it's possible we miss the playoffs by a few points again due to sticking stubbornly to worthless grinders.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

There's a good chance they would be more useful than current Nieto and Acciari, even if by a small margin. That bar is incredibly low. Nieto and Acciari aren't playing at an NHL-worthy level. Closer to L3 Wilkes level.
Plus I believe it's important for an organization to reward strong play, so it sends a message to the players that training and performance matters. If the players begin doubting that, it will hurt the mentality down in Wilkes and in training camps.
Bemstrom should have earned the call by now. It's not like L4 was cooking and there's no room for him.

We don't know if Broz can't hang at this level. That's a guess. I'd like to confirm that with my own eyes.
If he sucks he can be sent back down in a month. It's no big deal. He's waivers exempt. Plus he's 22, not 18. He might be fine.

We can drop a contract by trading DOC or Acciari. No problem.

I don't see what there is to fear by trying guys. We're not gonna lose any quality on waivers. and we're not gonna destroy anyone's development by giving them a month with the big club. If anything it will help them understand how things are.
On the flip side, it's possible we miss the playoffs by a few points again due to sticking stubbornly to worthless grinders.

If Acciari is as bad as you contend he is, who would want to trade for him? Same with DOC?

Boris Katchouk is the Canadian Radim Zohorna. He's just a guy.

If Poulin was playing well, if Broz was closer to being ready, if McGroarty was playing well, then you'd have an argument.

It is in the best interest for all of the young forwards to continue playing in WBS. If there is a huge selloff at the deadline, maybe you consider bringing a few up for the final six weeks.

This is about long-term development. The performance of the NHL squad and the players on it should have zero impact on whether any significant forward from WBS gets recalled.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

If Acciari is as bad as you contend he is, who would want to trade for him? Same with DOC?

DOC may improve elsewhere. He was pretty decent last season. It's not happening here though.
An old school GM that likes guys with an edge or veteran presence might want Acciari.
It's unwise to assume GMs will always make logical choices. Drury f***ed up with Kakko and Verbeek blew it with Trouba very recently.

Boris Katchouk is the Canadian Radim Zohorna. He's just a guy.

Oh okay. So a 1.81 5v5 P/P60 player for us with solid corsi and defensive metrics? Is that supposed to be a turn-off?
I'll take that over three guys who are below 1.10 and heavily entrenched in the minuses.
It's so weird how this board uses him of all fringe players as the poster boy for milquetoast play. We have had so many more fitting candidates...

 

[Gurglesons]

If Acciari is as bad as you contend he is, who would want to trade for him? Same with DOC?

Boris Katchouk is the Canadian Radim Zohorna. He's just a guy.

If Poulin was playing well, if Broz was closer to being ready, if McGroarty was playing well, then you'd have an argument.

It is in the best interest for all of the young forwards to continue playing in WBS. If there is a huge selloff at the deadline, maybe you consider bringing a few up for the final six weeks.

This is about long-term development. The performance of the NHL squad and the players on it should have zero impact on whether any significant forward from WBS gets recalled.

Poulin came up and at least was part of the line he was on controlling play.

The dweeb crew of Hayes, Nieto, and Acciari is getting absolutely blasted.

Hell, even DOC has been getting crushed. But, "performance matters".

 

[HandshakeLine]

If Acciari is as bad as you contend he is, who would want to trade for him? Same with DOC?

Boris Katchouk is the Canadian Radim Zohorna. He's just a guy.

If Poulin was playing well, if Broz was closer to being ready, if McGroarty was playing well, then you'd have an argument.

It is in the best interest for all of the young forwards to continue playing in WBS. If there is a huge selloff at the deadline, maybe you consider bringing a few up for the final six weeks.

This is about long-term development. The performance of the NHL squad and the players on it should have zero impact on whether any significant forward from WBS gets recalled.

please keep this on topic.

 

[canadianguy77]

If DOC had one or two moves in his arsenal, he’d be a 35 goal scorer on this team. But he has no moves. Zero dekes or head-fakes or anything. He’s just a straight-ahead player. That shit might have worked in the 90s for power forwards, but it doesn't work now unless you have elite acceleration. He doesn’t have it and is too old to get it.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

DOC may improve elsewhere. He was pretty decent last season. It's not happening here though.

If it's not going to happen here, where he had the greatest success of his career so far, where is the logic that he will be magically fixed elsewhere?

An old school GM that likes guys with an edge or veteran presence might want Acciari.
It's unwise to assume GMs will always make logical choices. Drury f***ed up with Kakko and Verbeek blew it with Trouba very recently.

By that logic, would the notoriously soft Penguins not want to keep one of their few players with an edge?

Oh okay. So a 1.81 5v5 P/P60 player for us with solid corsi and defensive metrics? Is that supposed to be a turn-off?

If only 31 other GMs don't put the same faith in rate stats as you do. If they did, maybe Zohorna would be in the NHL instead of back in Europe. Hell, he didn't even land in the KHL, Sweden, or Finland. He's in the Swiss league.

But he just needs a chance!

I'll take that over three guys who are below 1.10 and heavily entrenched in the minuses.
It's so weird how this board uses him of all fringe players as the poster boy for milquetoast play. We have had so many more fitting candidates...

Zohorna gets used because he is the classic example of certain people believing a player is magically going to figure out the next level at age 27 instead of being a fringe NHL player.

Zohorna is a one-tool player and that tool isn't very elite. Same with guys like Katchouk, Bemstrom, and Puustinen. They're only around in case of injuries. They're not worth wasting time on.

The guys worth focusing on are a year away. Let them develop. If Acciari or Nieto or anyone else does bring back something in a trade and you need a body, that's fine. But don't stunt the development of Broz, Koivunen, McGroarty, and others just because you're sick of watching Acciari every night.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Poulin came up and at least was part of the line he was on controlling play.

The dweeb crew of Hayes, Nieto, and Acciari is getting absolutely blasted.

Hell, even DOC has been getting crushed. But, "performance matters".

I've been a big Poulin backer and am willing to give him another look at some point, but he was the third wheel on that line.

This isn't a good team. It wasn't supposed to be a good team. Why are we surprised that the fourth line has sucked?

I legitimately don't understand the complaints and mindset. This year was never about contending. It's about marinating, acquiring a few more assets, and hoping the young guys make a major play for ice time next year while making a few shrewd additions, with potentially one big splash or two to make a final run for 87/71.

Everything Dubas has said and done since last trade deadline has indicated this approach. It may fail spectacularly, but that's the plan.

Embrace the mediocrity for this year. Acciari, Nieto, Grzelcyk, Graves, Jarry, etc. are here to modestly improve the quality of draft picks and/or if we're lucky be worth a late round pick from some desperate GM in March.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

please keep this on topic.

Fine.

Jesse Puljujarvi, Radim Zohorna, Drew O'Connor, and countless others are the same type of NHL player.

They have one tool and it's only above average. They try to develop a second tool, which may be passable, but it's inconsistent.

Zohorna and Katchouk barely have one tool.

DOC and Puljujarvi have like 1 1/4 tools. Maybe 1 1/2. DOC has straight line speed and he's generally good positionally. But he can't score consistently, he's not a playmaker, he's less physical than he should be, and he's not the brightest bulb in the drawer.

Puljujarvi has a bit more natural offensive talent and plays a bit more physical, but he's not as fast (better with the new hips, but not elite), he's dumb as rocks, he's slow to react without the puck, and he's terrible in his own zone.

They are roster fodder. Interchangeable spare parts.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I don't think you understand the topic.

 

[Ulf5]

Zirakrigil, I liked your old avatar better.

 

[pistolpete11]

He pulled a Zohorna: put up a lot of points to start (5 points in 6 games) and then quickly faded away offensively (3 points in 15 games). It just seems like Sullivan jumped on it far faster than he did with Zohorna.

Zohorna got until the end of December being useless before Sullivan finally pulled the trigger, Puljujarvi didn't even make it until Thanksgiving before Sullivan gave up on him. Puljujarvi was better than Zohorna but maybe having better alternatives this year could also be a factor here.

What are the better alternatives?

In their last 15 games:

Nieto 1 point (OK, only 14 games for him)
Hayes 4 points but also a -6
Acciari 2 points
Beau 2 points
DOC 4 points
Glass 5 points but also a -9

If cooling off is the justification for scratching him, fine. I don't really care about Poolparty, but at least he had something to cool off from. The rest of these guys have been pretty nonexistent this entire year, yet with the exception of Glass, seem to have a guaranteed spot in the lineup when they are fit.

Accountability is good. Selective accountability is bad.

 

[Empoleon8771]

What are the better alternatives?

In their last 15 games:

Nieto 1 point (OK, only 14 games for him)
Hayes 4 points but also a -6
Acciari 2 points
Beau 2 points
DOC 4 points
Glass 5 points but also a -9

If cooling off is the justification for scratching him, fine. I don't really care about Poolparty, but at least he had something to cool off from. The rest of these guys have been pretty nonexistent this entire year, yet with the exception of Glass, seem to have a guaranteed spot in the lineup when they are fit.

Accountability is good. Selective accountability is bad.

Like I posted above, Puljujarvi is likely on my 4th line if I could pick. The bottom-6 I'd be going with is:

Beauvillier-Lizotte-Glass
O'Connor-Ponomarev-Puljujarvi

That said, Puljujarvi himself is just a nothingburger of a player so it's just really difficult for me to give a shit if he's playing as 4RW or Acciari is playing as 4RW. He should be playing over Hayes and Nieto but Hayes and Nieto probably aren't going to be playing for this team for much longer.

 

[pistolpete11]

Like I posted above, Puljujarvi is likely on my 4th line if I could pick. The bottom-6 I'd be going with is:

Beauvillier-Lizotte-Glass
O'Connor-Ponomarev-Puljujarvi

That said, Puljujarvi himself is just a nothingburger of a player so it's just really difficult for me to give a shit if he's playing as 4RW or Acciari is playing as 4RW. He should be playing over Hayes and Nieto but Hayes and Nieto probably aren't going to be playing for this team for much longer.

First, when did "nothingburger" become this board's go to pejorative?

Second, I'm not sure why you'd bother writing up a whole post justifying the move to then turn around and agree with the people criticizing the move.

Lastly, to be clear, I'm not declaring that "Poolparty should be in the lineup". Lineups do not need to be written in stone. I think all of the guys I mentioned should be cycled in and out of the lineup every few games until someone forces their way into or out of the lineup. I'd add Lizotte to that list as well, but he's obviously forced his way into the lineup with his play this year.

The criticism I have is Sullivan picking and choosing who he holds accountable.

 

[Empoleon8771]

First, when did "nothingburger" become this board's go to pejorative?

Second, I'm not sure why you'd bother writing up a whole post justifying the move to then turn around and agree with the people criticizing the move.

Lastly, to be clear, I'm not declaring that "Poolparty should be in the lineup". Lineups do not need to be written in stone. I think all of the guys I mentioned should be cycled in and out of the lineup every few games until someone forces their way into or out of the lineup. I'd add Lizotte to that list as well, but he's obviously forced his way into the lineup with his play this year.

The criticism I have is Sullivan picking and choosing who he holds accountable.

Where did I write up a whole post justifying the move? I said he did the same thing that Zohorna did (started hot and then became mostly useless), but Sullivan pulled the trigger on him faster than he did with Zohorna. The "better alternatives" comment was comparing who Zohorna was competing with a spot for last year versus who Puljujarvi is competing for a spot this year. Zohorna was likely able to stay in longer because the other options around Zohorna were worse last year than the other options around Puljujarvi this year.

Would I have Puljujarvi in the lineup? Sure, but he's my 12th forward and I don't particularly have strong feelings towards him. You could play either Acciari or Puljujarvi as the 4th line RW and I wouldn't really care either way. My original post was not justifying the move, my original post was saying that Puljujarvi was just this year's version of Zohorna.