The Edmonton Oilers did it: they had a good 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Sure, it didn’t include P.K. Subban, but something miraculous did occur.
Columbus wowed everyone when they walked up to the podium and selected Pierre-Luc Dubois third overall, letting Jesse Puljujärvi fall to fourth-overall and land in the Oilers lap. And for Edmonton, selecting the Finnish right-winger was a no-brainer for Peter Chiarelli.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Oilers’ newest prospect, who is more than likely to be a force when it comes to the coming year.
Jesse Puljujärvi (Pull-You-Yarvy)
The 6-foot-3, 201 winger is known for excellent skating, speed and skill when it comes to puck handling. His scouting report says it all.
"Puljujärvi is a big winger who combines size, skating and skill. A strong skater who can blast past the opposition in full speed. Able to use his size, reach and stickhandling skills to retain the puck in speed. A smart player at both ends of the ice, both on and off the puck. Great work ethic and positive attitude.More of a playmaker than a scorer and could improve his shooting skills, although already equipped with an accurate release. Doesn’t shy away from physical play, but could use his size more to his benefit.”–Elite Prospects"
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Puljujärvi has been compared to Teemu Selanne and has even received comparisons to Jari Kurri. Though ranked #3 by almost every prospect watcher, he fell to fourth-overall.
He has a lot of potential
This is obvious. He is going to do big things. Imagine him on a line with Connor McDavid (heart palpitations). There is no reason why the Oilers would deal away this pick for anything; it was a great selection, and will likely mean the Oilers will work to dump some $6 million men for right-handed defenders.
Puljujärvi also has many honrs — all in this past year. When playing with the U20 World Junior Championship team, he won a Gold Medal and made the All-Star Team. He was named WJC MVP, best forward and a top-three player on the team, and finished with the most assists (12) and most points (17). That’s a lot to put on a résumé.
Next: Edmonton Oilers Rumors Flying in Draft
We are excited to have him, and this was an excellent, easy choice for Peter Chiarelli and the Oilers organization. Welcome, Jesse!