For fans who were wondering what might happen with Jesse Puljujarvi next season, there’s some news on Wednesday that might shed a little light on the situation. For now, it’s just a coach talking about what he believes is best for the player, but it might be a sign that the player is thinking similar thoughts.
Puljujarvi’s coach in Finland has said he’d like to see the 21-year-old forward spend another season where he’s grown comfortable, the assumption being that it would benefit his game more than jumping back to the NHL would. The reports of these comments come from Kaleva.Fi.
His current head coach Mikko Manner spoke on a recent episode of the Kaleva Sports Podcast and said he was extremely pleased with the way Puljuarvi’s season progressed saying Puljujarvi played “nearly perfect season.” He added that the people who tasked him with working directly with Puljujarvi said the former Oilers forward was a certain kind of player and he believes Jesse “made the perfectly right decision when he decided to return to the familiar club – and got a big role in the match.”
Citing that Puljujarvi has been the single most popular player in the league, Manner noted that Jesse’s got his love of the game back, he’s got self-confidence and the next step is to “develop the details and skills to strengthen his mental, tactical and technical footprint.” He believes sticking with his current team is the best option.
What Does That Mean For The Oilers?
If Puljujarvi agrees and has no intention of returning to the NHL, that’s potentially problematic for Edmonton who might have been looking to trade Puljujarvi’s rights at or near the NHL Draft (whenever that happens). GM Ken Holland wasn’t in a rush to move him this season, but if there’s a chance he’s sticking in Finland long-term, there may come a point the Oilers try to recoup some of their losses. Few, if any, NHL teams will want to trade for a player who won’t be coming back.
The Edmonton Oilers still own Puljuajrvi’s rights but the former fourth-overall draft pick stated that returning to the Oilers is not an option.
Related: Who Are the Three Greatest Vancouver Canucks’ Forwards of All Time?
