Hard Look at Jesse Puljujarvi; Is He NHL-Ready Yet? (+)

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Jesse Puljujarvi, who is hoping to earn a professional contract with the WBS Penguins, or preferably the Pittsburgh Penguins, told Pittsburgh Hockey Now that he is healthy.

Puljujarvi, 25, scored his third goal in nine games and added an assist in the WBS Penguins 4-1 win over the Hartford Wolfpack at Mohegan Sun Arena Wednesday.

“I’ve played nine games now,” Puljujarvi said. “So if I’m (not) healthy, I couldn’t play. So (I feel) pretty healthy.”

Puljujarvi has been on a journey since double hip resurfacing surgery sometime in June or July last summer. The former Edmonton Oilers forlorn prospect wanted out of Edmonton for some time, but it took six years to get his wish.

The 2016 fourth-overall pick was going to be the power forward to join the young Edmonton core that already included Connor McDavid, but it never panned out. Puljujarvi even returned to Finland for a season. Edmonton finally traded the 6-foot-4, 201-pound winger to the Carolina Hurricanes just before the NHL trade deadline.

It didn’t work there, either. But the necessary surgery may have been a good reason why.

In December, Puljujarvi signed an NHL free-agent tryout deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, meaning for 10 days he could practice and workout with the team but not play in games. After 10 days, he continued, but at his own cost.

Puljujarvi stuck around for a little while after his team-funded period expired and eventually signed a professional tryout with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to continue his rehab.

He scored on his first shift of the game. And that’s where we’ll begin the analysis.