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Hey, folks! It is the Day of Hump. Let’s get it.
Jesse Puljujarvi opted for Finland yesterday and while we covered it, the trash takes were out in full effect. We’ll link you to a couple of them, but we’re disclaiming them now. There’s some trash out there.
Our Top 25 Under 25 series continued yesterday with, unfortunately, Jesse Puljujarvi. The likelihood he ever plays another shift for the Edmonton Oilers is quite, quite low at this point, and it is for that reason you could make the argument he shouldn’t be anywhere near this list.
For me? I’m just disappointed. Another highly touted European they didn’t know what to do with when they found out he wasn’t what they needed him to be immediately. Remember he’s both younger than Tyler Benson, and that his draft year NHLe was 20. It is not his fault he made it easier to trade Taylor Hall. It’s not his fault everyone thought his NHLe of 20 as a late-born 18 year old in Finland would actually translate to 60+ point seasons immediately. It’s not his fault he averaged a shade over 10 minutes per night with mostly garbage for most of his career. Sure, he was not great for large parts of last season, but he also required season-ending hip surgery and who knows how long that injury was holding him back?
You can certainly argue that Puljujarvi’s camp hasn’t handled this whole summer with grace, or aplomb, or whatever. But, it’s always worth remembering that these guys only have so many ways to exert any sort of control over their own lives until they’ve hit a certain threshold of service time, and none of us have those sorts of restrictions when our employers both suck and don’t know what to do with us. Did I mention he’s still younger than Tyler Benson?!
Hopefully he shows well enough before December that the Oilers can recoup some asset of some significance for him, or that the relationship improves to the point he dresses for Edmonton again. Or, hopefully Caleb Jones is the absolute boy and makes it easier to package Nurse with JP for a Nikolaj Ehlers type. Or, and dare I dream, a wantaway Patrik Laine?! We’re blue-skying now, but there are outcomes here that can still be good for the Oilers. Eventually. Maybe.
But enough about JP. Don’t forget to swing back after lunch to see who landed at 9 in this year’s Top 25 Under 25!
From Us
T25 U25: #10 - Jesse Puljujarvi (Copper and Blue)
Yesterday (Copper and Blue)
Jesse Puljujarvi Signs One Year Deal With Karpat (Copper and Blue)
From Elsewhere
Spector: Jesse Puljujarvi Trying To Avoid A Nylander Situation (Sportsnet)
Oilers 2019-20 Rookie Candidates (Oilersnation)
Matheson: Jesse Puljujarvi Flies The Coop Waiting For Trade From Edmonton Oilers (The Journal)
Holland: Puljujarvi Signing In Finland Doesn’t Rule Out Trade (The Score)
How Jesse Puljujarvi’s Plan To Return Home Could Benefit Oilers (Sportsnet)
Lucky Number Six (Oilersnation)
For Money
Willis: Can Mikko Koskinen be a quality starter for Oilers in 2019-20? (The Athletic)
Down Goes Brown: Which two NHL franchises would hold the league’s Tag Team Championship? (The Athletic)