January 25, 2021 /

Edmonton Oilers Talk: All Aboard the Jesse Puljujarvi Bandwagon

ALL ABOARD!!! Those with tickets for the Jesse Puljujarvi Bandwagon are now permitted to board the craft. There will be no meal on this journey but plenty of salted crow will be available.

We’ve come a long way since former Edmonton Oilers Finnish legend Esa Tikkanen said this,

“Puljujärvi never really had what it takes to make it in Oilers. He is a very skilled player but in Edmonton you just need to have something more.”

So, does Jesse all of a sudden have something more or did he always have it? The irony, at 22, both Tikkanen and Puljujarvi arrived on the NHL scene.

Well add him to a growing list of hockey pundits and former NHL players who thought Jesse Puljujarvi didn’t have what it takes to be a player in the best hockey league in the world. I talked to folks who were connected to some very key people in the SM-Liiga that thought Pulju was making a mistake going home and that if he didn’t hurry up and get back to Edmonton, his career would be over.

What you’re seeing now is what the entire scouting fraternity was seeing back in 2015 and 2016. He was doing this to men in Finland for Karpat as a 16 and 17-year-old. He was dominating like this as an 18-year-old in Bakersfield for the Condors, then as a 19-year-old and as a 20-year-old in the AHL.

He showed flashes for the Oilers previously but he simply wasn’t strong enough physically or mentally yet, which would’ve been fine but the management team sold him a bill of goods and then screwed him over. So he left.

The vitriol from the local media, current and former players, and the fans was disgusting and embarrassing. There was a young man making a very difficult decision and getting lambasted for it publicly by anybody with a platform, but who’s had the last laugh now?

Last night’s game against Winnipeg was one helluva game, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t express that I thought the Oilers were extremely lucky to come away with the two points. Yes, Edmonton’s first line was one of the most dominating lines I’ve seen since Lemieux-Francis-Jagr, but that’s about it. The Jets were all over the Oilers in periods one and three, Edmonton won the second and the last few minutes of the third and that was against a Winnipeg team who was on the back-half of a b2b. How will they look with some rest in a couple of days?

If I told you Zack Kassian had five hits last night, would you believe me?

Speaking of Kass, his demotion couldn’t have worked out any better, eh? Once he was united with Kyle Turris and James Neal it was like a light bulb went off in all of their heads. I’d like to see that combination of players get another go.

Ethan Bear and Darnell Nurse had nearly 70% of the shot-share when they were on the ice… That’s McDavid-esque.

Has Edmonton played a game where they’ve allowed less than 30 shots yet and is Mikko Koskinen better when he faces more shot or less? Was it Cujo who got better with more action?

I keep hearing that Adam Larsson can’t move the puck, but has it occurred to anybody that in order for him to move it to a teammate, the pass receiver needs to be in a open position or else the puck will go up the boards into a 50/50? I’d be willing to bet that if you went and watched the game again, you’d see every one of the Oilers d-men sending pucks up the boards, off the glass, and flipping them into the neutral zone at one point or another.

Last night, I saw an engaged Larsson. He was jumping into the play and grinding Jets into the boards, blocking shots (team leader on the night again), and being a warrior. Exactly what the team needs more of.

Everybody wants him out of the lineup to make room for Evan Bouchard. Look, I’d love to see what Uncle Evan can do, but I can’t see Coach Tippett taking out a player who is a source of testosterous inspiration for his teammates let alone a vet and a member of the leadership core. In addition to that, Tyson Barrie was removed from the first-unit PP and Bob Stauffer and Rob Brown were saying in the post-game wrap-up that maybe he’s someone that could sit… That makes more sense to me and now that Tyler Ennis has been waived, there’s a sense that Bouchard could get into the lineup.

For shits and giggles, count how many times someone on Edmonton sports talk radio uses the phrase “straight lines” in reference to Pulju’s game now…

BLH’s Three Stars:

  1. Jesse Puljujarvi – He could’ve had a hat-trick but settled for an assist and six shots on net. He was an absolute force in every facet of the game that the Jets simply had no answer for and I suspect this will be a theme we’re likely to see repeated on numerous occasions this year. Best 5v5 fancies of any forward on the team last night and nearly sent 6’4″ 220lb Derek Forbot over the top rope to boot.
  2. Connor McDavid – Was that the quietest three points he’s put up in his career? He was magical each time he set skate onto the ice up until the final second. Do you think he knew he was making that pass with under two seconds remaining? Very Jordan-esque, no?
  3. Darnell Nurse – It’s been some time but I can confidently say that Nurse has arrived. He’s been very solid more nights than not this season so far and when Coach Tippett threw him on the first unit PP, everything calmed down. I felt relieved almost to see him on it. I’m very pleased with how Nurse is trending right now. He’s improved greatly.

Next up, one more round with the Jets and then back to Edmonton for a pair against the Maple Leafs!

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CategoriesArmchair GM Beer League Hero Edmonton Oilers NHL

TagsEdmonton Oilers Jesse Puljujarvi NHL

Beer League Hero Written by:

I'm the Beer League Hero! I am from Camrose, Alberta but I make my home in Taipei City, Taiwan. I've been through the ups and downs and the highs and the Lowes, the Bonsignores and the McDavids, the Sathers and the Eakins but I'll never leave my Oilers, no matter what! They're with me until the end and then some. GO OILERS GO!