Jesse Puljujarvi hints at leaving Oilers, NHL

Jesse Puljujarvi does not know where he belongs. Despite the fact that he avoided arbitration this summer when he signed a one-year deal worth $3 million with the Edmonton Oilers, the forward cannot be sure this is the right place for him. He told reporter Tommi Seppälä that he isn’t sure if the National Hockey League is the place for him anymore.

“Twenty games in and I have one goal. It’s sad,” Puljujarvi said in his native Finnish as translated by Seppälä. “I’ve been thinking a lot how to do things differently. Right now, I just don’t have the answer.”

“Of course I’d like to be a productive top-line player,” Puljujärvi added. “But right now, it looks like I can’t do that in NHL. Maybe some other league.”

Puljujarvi’s confidence appears to be shot. In 26 games this season, ahead of Wednesday night’s action against the Arizona Coyotes, Puljujarvi has only put up a goal and six points. He was set to move down from the Oilers’ top line, thanks to the returns of right-wingers Zach Hyman and Kailer Yamamoto both back from injury, and slowed with centre James Hamblin and Dylan Holloway against Arizona.

Maybe he will find some success there…

“Maybe if you move down the ladder, you get down to the third line or something,” said GM Ken Holland. “You get a chance to handle the puck maybe a little bit more.”

Holland attempted to trade Puljujarvi a few seasons ago when the young forward headed to Finland but he never got an offer. Asked again if a chance of scenery is the best solution for Puljujarvi, neither or Holland wanted to comment.

“It’s a hard league. That’s one of the reasons why I leave young players in the American League as long as possible,” said Holland, per Sportsnet. “This is not a development league. This is a league where you’re judged on what you do, and not on potential. So when I hear a player like Jesse saying that he’s lost his confidence, it’s not the first time I’ve heard that.

“And I don’t really have a solution. That’s my response: It’s a hard league.”

“I can’t make comments on this right now,” Puljujarvi said.

But will Holland make a move?

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