Ken Holland doesn’t sound like he’s in any rush to trade Jesse Puljujarvi.

On Wednesday afternoon, Holland met with media in Montreal ahead of the NHL entry draft where he said “I think it can stretch all summer if we wanted it to.”

Rumors have swirled for weeks about the potential of a trade for the 24-year-old Finn, but signs are pointing to Holland being willing to play hardball, once again. Whether Puljujarvi has asked for a trade, or if the Oilers are simply done with him, the truth of the matter is the Oilers can’t afford to lose the trade.

In terms of Puljujarvi’s value in the market, suggestions have ranged from a second-round pick or third-round pick, to a useful NHL player at a similar point in his career. Earlier today, our own Jason Gregor suggests a number of players the Oilers could look at. All in all, Holland knows where the market lies.

“I’ve talked to all the managers I think I need to talk to about the things I’m looking at,” he said. “I’ve got an idea where I’m at.”

As we head into one of the most important weeks in this franchise’s history, each move the Oilers make needs to be centered around winning a cup in the next three seasons.

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