<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Another chapter was added to the story of @Jesse Puljujarvi on Tuesday when <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2016/06/24/edmonton-oilers-draft-jesse-puljujarvi-fourth-overall/">the 4th </a></span><span class="s1">overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft signed a one-year deal with Karpat in the SM-Liiga. The deal Puljujarvi signed will allow him to return to the NHL prior to December 1</span><span class="s2"><sup>st</sup></span><span class="s1"> if a trade is made or the player has a sudden change of heart. Here are a few tidbits on the current situation, his past and his future.</span></p>
<p></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">INTEREST GROWS</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I found it very interesting that Oilers President of Hockey Ops Ken Holland told both Ryan Rishaug and Mark Spector that a few new teams have reached out to show interest in Puljujarvi. It gives me hope that a deal may still end up happening before the puck drops on the regular season. </span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">THE ASKING PRICE</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I believe it was Rishaug who suggested that if the offer for Puljujarvi is nothing more than a single draft pick that selection will still need to be a first-rounder. Holland is apparently also willing to accept a player ready to step into a top-nine role and an additional pick, an ask that I think is more likely to lead to a deal. </span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">PRODUCTION WITH MCDAVID</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">It’s been widely speculated that @Connor McDavid didn’t really feel like JP was a fit on his wing, which I’m fine with but I do think that leads us to forget that the big Finn was dangerous with the captain at even strength. During Puljujarvi’s three years playing alongside McDavid he produced at a clip of 2.06 points per 60 at five-on-five, as far as players on this current roster go nobody had a number greater than 2.06 this season with the exception of @Leon Draisaitl. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Just this past season Puljujarvi had a CF/60 of 70.99 with the captain, the best total of any forward on the team that played at least 40 minutes at 5 on 5 with Connor. When you watched them play together the chemistry didn’t appear to be there but the numbers say otherwise, it’s a weird study, for sure. </span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">IT’S ALL IN THE HIPS</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Puljujarvi did manage to score 12 goals in 65 games as 19-year old getting limited time in the top six and on the power-play in 2017-18, a respectable total for a teenager, so what happened this year? I was told that Puljujarvi spent a good portion of the first half of the season complaining about his legs not feeling well. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The sense I got was that the coaching staff simply pushed this aside as regular soreness following games, which I totally get, but when the player has to have surgery on both hips following the season it leaves me wondering if the complaints should have been taken more seriously. </span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY</span></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I do believe that it looked like not just Puljujarvi but an entire second line was getting on track last year when he was playing alongside Nugent-Hopkins and Jujhar Khaira. The line showed some flashes prior to Khaira being suspended and HItchock never went back to them when Khaira returned to the lineup. I will always wonder if those three would have been able to become something. </span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">A PLACE TO DEVELOP</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Not only will Puljujarvi be joining a powerhouse club in Finland he will also be joining a team that has allowed young players to become a big part of the offence. Last season Panthers 2</span><span class="s2"><sup>nd</sup></span><span class="s1"> rounder Aleksi Heponiemi returned to Finland as a 19-year old after putting up huge numbers in Swift Current and finished with 46 points in 50 games for Karpat. Los Angeles Kings 2018 first rounder Rasmus Kupari was also a key contributor for Karpat last year finishing with 33 points in 43 games. </span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">TIKKANEN CHIMES IN</span></strong></h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Puljujärvi never really had what it takes to make it in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oilers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oilers</a>. He is a very skilled player but in Edmonton you just need to have something more. Believe me, I know!!</p>
<p>However all the best to Jesse. He makes upcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Liiga?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Liiga</a> season very interesting 👍👍👍</p>
<p>&mdash; Esa Tiki Tikkanen (@tikitalk10) <a href="https://twitter.com/tikitalk10/status/1166333558975340545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The best part about this is that Tikkanen describes himself in his Twitter profile as “LEGEND”. I’d agree. </span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">LAST TIME HE WAS THERE</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Puljujarvi spent 1.5 seasons playing for Karpat in SM-Liiga prior to being drafted by the Oilers. As a 16-year old he put up 11 points in 21 games and followed that up in his 17-year old season, and draft year, with 13 goals and 15 assists in 50 games. </span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">WHAT ABOUT THIS YEAR?</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I reached out to a source in Finland to ask him what the expectations will be for Jesse in his return to Karpat and the answer was a simple one, <i>“he could start slow but should be a dominant player in the league by the middle of October.” </i>The regular season begins on September 12</span><span class="s2"><sup>th</sup></span><span class="s1"> with Karpat facing HPK.</span></p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">THE BEST OF TIMES</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Let’s wrap up with a pair of goals against the Flames, even if one of them went in off his leg. You’ll notice he was on the ice with McDavid for both of them.</span></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/paS7bLR7u3g" width="700"></iframe></p>
<h2>Previously by Dustin Nielson:</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/08/27/edmonton-oilers-forward-lucky-number-six/">Lucky Number Six</a></li>
<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/08/21/ten-edmonton-oilers-tidbits-mid-august-edition/">TEN TIDBITS: August Edition</a></li>
<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/08/19/projection-season-the-hockey-news/">Projection Season: The Hockey News</a></li>
<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/07/30/ten-way-too-early-predictions/">Ten Way Too Early Predictions</a></li>
<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/07/29/mr-hollands-summer/">Mr. Holland’s Summer</a></li>
</ul>

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Another chapter was added to the story of @Jesse Puljujarvi on Tuesday when <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2016/06/24/edmonton-oilers-draft-jesse-puljujarvi-fourth-overall/">the 4th </a></span><span class="s1">overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft signed a one-year deal with Karpat in the SM-Liiga. The deal Puljujarvi signed will allow him to return to the NHL prior to December 1</span><span class="s2"><sup>st</sup></span><span class="s1"> if a trade is made or the player has a sudden change of heart. Here are a few tidbits on the current situation, his past and his future.</span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">INTEREST GROWS</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I found it very interesting that Oilers President of Hockey Ops Ken Holland told both Ryan Rishaug and Mark Spector that a few new teams have reached out to show interest in Puljujarvi. It gives me hope that a deal may still end up happening before the puck drops on the regular season. </span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">THE ASKING PRICE</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I believe it was Rishaug who suggested that if the offer for Puljujarvi is nothing more than a single draft pick that selection will still need to be a first-rounder. Holland is apparently also willing to accept a player ready to step into a top-nine role and an additional pick, an ask that I think is more likely to lead to a deal. </span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">PRODUCTION WITH MCDAVID</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">It’s been widely speculated that @Connor McDavid didn’t really feel like JP was a fit on his wing, which I’m fine with but I do think that leads us to forget that the big Finn was dangerous with the captain at even strength. During Puljujarvi’s three years playing alongside McDavid he produced at a clip of 2.06 points per 60 at five-on-five, as far as players on this current roster go nobody had a number greater than 2.06 this season with the exception of @Leon Draisaitl. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Just this past season Puljujarvi had a CF/60 of 70.99 with the captain, the best total of any forward on the team that played at least 40 minutes at 5 on 5 with Connor. When you watched them play together the chemistry didn’t appear to be there but the numbers say otherwise, it’s a weird study, for sure. </span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">IT’S ALL IN THE HIPS</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Puljujarvi did manage to score 12 goals in 65 games as 19-year old getting limited time in the top six and on the power-play in 2017-18, a respectable total for a teenager, so what happened this year? I was told that Puljujarvi spent a good portion of the first half of the season complaining about his legs not feeling well. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The sense I got was that the coaching staff simply pushed this aside as regular soreness following games, which I totally get, but when the player has to have surgery on both hips following the season it leaves me wondering if the complaints should have been taken more seriously. </span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><span class="s1">THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY</span></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I do believe that it looked like not just Puljujarvi but an entire second line was getting on track last year when he was playing alongside Nugent-Hopkins and Jujhar Khaira. The line showed some flashes prior to Khaira being suspended and HItchock never went back to them when Khaira returned to the lineup. I will always wonder if those three would have been able to become something. </span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">A PLACE TO DEVELOP</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Not only will Puljujarvi be joining a powerhouse club in Finland he will also be joining a team that has allowed young players to become a big part of the offence. Last season Panthers 2</span><span class="s2"><sup>nd</sup></span><span class="s1"> rounder Aleksi Heponiemi returned to Finland as a 19-year old after putting up huge numbers in Swift Current and finished with 46 points in 50 games for Karpat. Los Angeles Kings 2018 first rounder Rasmus Kupari was also a key contributor for Karpat last year finishing with 33 points in 43 games. </span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">TIKKANEN CHIMES IN</span></strong></h2>
https://twitter.com/tikitalk10/status/1166333558975340545
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The best part about this is that Tikkanen describes himself in his Twitter profile as “LEGEND”. I’d agree. </span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">LAST TIME HE WAS THERE</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Puljujarvi spent 1.5 seasons playing for Karpat in SM-Liiga prior to being drafted by the Oilers. As a 16-year old he put up 11 points in 21 games and followed that up in his 17-year old season, and draft year, with 13 goals and 15 assists in 50 games. </span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">WHAT ABOUT THIS YEAR?</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">I reached out to a source in Finland to ask him what the expectations will be for Jesse in his return to Karpat and the answer was a simple one, <i>“he could start slow but should be a dominant player in the league by the middle of October.” </i>The regular season begins on September 12</span><span class="s2"><sup>th</sup></span><span class="s1"> with Karpat facing HPK.</span></p>

<h2 class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">THE BEST OF TIMES</span></strong></h2>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Let’s wrap up with a pair of goals against the Flames, even if one of them went in off his leg. You’ll notice he was on the ice with McDavid for both of them.</span></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/paS7bLR7u3g" width="700"></iframe>
<h2>Previously by Dustin Nielson:</h2>
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/08/27/edmonton-oilers-forward-lucky-number-six/">Lucky Number Six</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/08/21/ten-edmonton-oilers-tidbits-mid-august-edition/">TEN TIDBITS: August Edition</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/08/19/projection-season-the-hockey-news/">Projection Season: The Hockey News</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/07/30/ten-way-too-early-predictions/">Ten Way Too Early Predictions</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2019/07/29/mr-hollands-summer/">Mr. Holland’s Summer</a></li>
</ul>

TEN TIDBITS: Jesse Puljujarvi Edition

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