Edmonton Oilers: McDavid, Puljujarvi Tailored For Each Other
By Eric Friesen
A generational centre from Ontario and an exceptional two-way, right-wing from Finland. Edmonton Oilers fans of a certain vintage have watched this narrative play out before.
From 1980-81 through 1987-88, Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri formed the most dangerous offensive duo in the NHL. Together, they set and broke their own records en route to winning four Stanley Cups with the Oilers. Gretzky and Kurri combined for 2,380 points in 1,270 games during their eight seasons as linemates. Those are incredible numbers, even by 1980s standards.
And although we will never see another duo produce that type of offence, again, Connor McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi could still have a similar impact with the Oilers. From the moment Puljujarvi fell into the Oilers lap with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, Oilers fans have been waiting to see him flying up the ice on the attack with McDavid. The two talented young forwards have shared the ice for a few shifts this season, but No. 97 and No. 98 have yet to play a full game together.
Following Thursday’s 5-3 loss, head coach Todd McLellan shuffled his lines to try and spark his team’s offence. Patrick Maroon replaced Milan Lucic on the top line with Connor McDavid. For now, Jordan Eberle remains with him on the right side.
When will we get to see McDavid and Puljujarvi together? Sooner rather than later. McLellan has shown in the past that he isn’t opposed to changing up his lines in-game. And after three straight losses, this would seem as good of a time as any to get Puljujarvi on McDavid’s line, or at least on the same powerplay unit.
McLellan has shown in the past that he isn’t opposed to changing up his lines in-game. And after three straight losses, this would seem as good of a time as any to get Puljujarvi on McDavid’s line, or at least on the same power-play unit.
Despite pointless droughts from his linemates, MlcDavid has still managed to put up a team-leading 13 points in 11 games. This is why I’m surprised Eberle is still on the top line. It’s great that McLellan is giving Eberle the chance to play his way out of a slump. But at what point does the coach have to put someone else is that spot? Puljujarvi, on the other hand, has probably been one of Edmonton’s three or four best players over the past week.
The 18-year-old Finn has the speed to keep up with the Oilers captain and possesses a powerful one-timer that is tailor-made for McDavid’s incredible on ice vision and otherworldly playmaking ability. However, the Oilers likely wouldn’t want Puljujarvi, who is currently the youngest player in the NHL, going up against the opposition’s top defenders this soon into his NHL career.
Also, if he rides shotgun with McDavid, that’s what he can expect to face on a nightly basis. Despite his young age and lack of NHL experience, Puljujarvi has an excellent frame at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds. And he’s only going to get bigger, and better. So I’m actually less concerned about him going into the corners against big, strong defenceman than Eberle, who is eight years his senior but is also significantly smaller at 5-foot-10, 181 pounds.
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McDavid is already, arguably the best player in the world at age 19. And there’s no doubt in my mind that Puljujarvi will be the Oilers best winger within two years, and once he firmly establishes himself in that role, he could be McDavid’s right-hand man for the next decade. It’s fun to compare McDavid and Puljujarvi to Gretzky and Kurri because they have several similar assets as players. For most of the 1980s, Oilers fans enjoyed the Gretzky-Kurri magic on a nightly basis – Gretzky’s feathery passes complementing the Kurri’s finishing touch.
McDavid possesses unmatched combination of natural ability and passion for the game, just like Gretzky. And like Kurri, Puljujarvi plays a solid two-way game and possesses and has a dangerous shot from the top of the circle. For my generation of Oilers fans who never got to Gretzky and Kurri take over the game during the team’s glory days, it’s exciting to think that the Oilers could have two of the top 10 or even top five scorers in the league in a few years. It takes more than a couple offensive weapons to build a Stanley Cup contender, but with McDavid and Puljujarvi at the forefront, this team is going to have success and write their own chapter of Oilers history.