Jesse Puljujarvi was one of the most sought-after prospects coming into the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. After a strong season in Finland with Kärpät in the Liiga, he was expected to be drafted with one of the top three selections. Instead, the first three picks came and went with Puljujarvi still on the board, allowing the Edmonton Oilers to select him if they wanted, and they did at fourth overall. While it took a while for Puljujarvi to get his feet wet in the NHL and make a splash with the Oilers, he was someone the Oilers were excited to bring in. It seemed like he could be someone the team could build around with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as the other core pieces, and fans were excited for the future.
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The 2016-17 season was a strong one for the Oilers. They made the playoffs and had a decent run into the second round before being eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks. Puljujarvi only played 28 games with the Oilers that season, scoring one goal and adding seven assists for eight points. He had spent most of the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors, where he played 39 games, scoring 12 goals and adding 16 assists for 28 points. He seemed to adapt well to a different style of hockey in North America, so there were high hopes for the Finnish sharpshooter.
Puljujarvi only spent 10 games in the AHL during the 2017-18 season, scoring one goal and adding four assists for five points. He spent 65 games with the Oilers that season, scoring 12 goals and adding eight assists for 20 points, which seemed quite solid, and he was slowly improving the little things in his game. His skating was improving, his shot was adapting to what it needed for the NHL level, and his hockey IQ was improving game by game. Unfortunately, his confidence seemed to take a step in the wrong direction in the 2018-19 season and he took a step back at both ends of the ice.
Puljujarvi’s Downfall in Edmonton
Through 46 games with the Oilers that season, Puljujarvi only scored four goals and added five assists for nine points. He seemed to be playing with no confidence and wasn’t able to find any luck offensively. He continued to improve defensively, but his offensive output wasn’t strong enough to justify being a fourth-overall selection yet. Due to his lack of consistency and lack of offensive production, as well as some differences with Oilers’ management, Puljujarvi would spend the entire 2019-20 season in Finland with Kärpät, as well as the beginning of the 2020-21 season while the two sides tried to come to a compromise.
Puljujarvi played 55 games to finish out the 2020-21 season with the Oilers, putting up a solid 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points. With McDavid and Draisaitl having established themselves as superstars in the NHL, Puljujarvi and the Oilers were both hopeful he could find some confidence alongside two of the best players in the league. The 2021-22 season was a career-best for Puljujarvi, as he seemed to finally be moving in the right direction offensively, putting up 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points through 65 games.
The pressure from fans to put up more points seemed to be getting to Puljujarvi more than ever in the 2022-23 season, and he declined offensively again. He was demoted to the fourth line for most of the season and was eventually dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes. He finished the season with 75 games, scoring five goals and adding 11 assists for 16 points. He had fallen off in a big way at both ends of the ice and never lived up to being the draft pick the Oilers hoped he could have been.
Why Didn’t Puljujarvi Fit in Edmonton?
Several factors impacted the overall reasoning of why Puljujarvi never worked as an Oiler. Whether he did not take advantage of opportunities in the top six forward groups or get a fair opportunity with ice time, his style of play and production did not fit the Oilers’ coaching staff. Since he was traded, there have been plenty of arguments over why he was never a fit. Still, the simple fact is that he was never able to adapt to the speed in North America, and he was never able to change his game enough to make an impact outside of the Liiga.
The way I see it, Puljujarvi is a strong defensive forward who, if utilized properly, could become an elite defensive player. However, the pressure of being drafted as high as he was and into one of the biggest hockey markets in the world didn’t give him the opportunity he deserved. He won’t become an elite offensive contributor at the NHL level, but hopefully, he can continue to use his defensive skill and carve himself into a longer career.
Puljujarvi had a massive surgery that kept him away from hockey for the majority of the 2023-24 season. Still, he eventually returned and signed a professional tryout with the Pittsburgh Penguins AHL affiliate before eventually signing a two-year deal with the Penguins. He has scored one goal in 11 games with the Penguins this season. While he will likely become a full-time bottom-six forward in the NHL, he should be able to find some confidence in a smaller market and establish himself as a sound two-way player. Hopefully, he can continue building a reputation with his new role and maintain a solid NHL career moving forward.