2022/2023 Trade Speculation and Rumours

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by jayswin

His scenery was two of the best players in the game.

Former top 4 pick not a superstar in a market where they have drafted high for a decade in a half. The media has made comments McDrai are not big fans of Puljujarvi so sometimes a fresh start is what is needed.

His scenery is one of the worst run franchises in the league since their owner bought the team. Edmonton is far from a first class organization and have ruined many top picks before Puljujarvi

[AustinL_NHL]

McDrai probably aren't fans of Puljujarvi as a linemate because they're both 100% offense and flee the D-zone as quick as possible, so when they have a defensively-conscious linemate like Puljujarvi who actually cares defensively, they're like "wtf?"

Poor pool party.

[Sandman]

I don’t think they wanted to trade JP because of performance necessarily, they just want to clear some cap and they see him as more expendable than some other players. At least that was my impression.

I think he would look great on our team, with our dressing room, and our coaching staff.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I think that's largely inexplicable. Puljujarvi is an excellent player. Reminds me a lot of Nichushkin and Coleman.

I'll just agree to disagree here.

(strongly)

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

He hasn't been unproductive at all. He was on pace for 45 points last year ... perfectly fine for a complementary winger — along with strong defensive results while playing with some very poor defensive players.

Here are Chiasson's point totals for the last 8 years - guess which one was the year he got extensive minutes with McDavid:

15/16: 14
16/17: 24
17/18: 18
18/19: 38
19/20: 24
20/21: 16
21/22: 22

Puljujarvi's productivity last year was pretty damn mediocre, considering his opportunity. He wasn't even able to complete the year in that role.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I really thought that Puljujarvi was going to be the third best player coming out of that draft, and with a really strong chance at maybe being the best player with his skating ability and work ethic.

Yep, 100% wrong. Fine me a better example in the NHL of "nice tools, no toolbox" syndrome. I think Puljujarvi might just be the NHL's best example of that over-used catchphrase.

If he could only put up .5 pts per game (roughly) while playing with arguably the two best offensive players in the NHL, I will take the 'under' on 36 points anywhere else. Sure, he is young and you think that there is room for improvement. However, again, that's playing with 2 of the NHL's very best offensive players. Put him in Pittsburgh alongside Sidney or Malkin, and you can bet that he sees a reduction in ppg, not an increase. Put him in Calgary on Huberdeau's line, and again, he probably sees a reduction. McDavid and Draisaitl made a LOT of room out there.

Nichuskin was laughably terrible at scoring in Dallas, but he was practically ELITE defensively and along the boards. He developed in Colorado (maybe regained his confidence?), but his IQ has always been easy to spot.

Coleman has always been a guy who generates his own offence from his anticipation while being a checker (and hard work). Again, his IQ is on full display.

Puljujarvi is a big steaming mass of confusion out there. Big and skates really well, but that's it. He can't shoot, he can't pass, he isn't strong defensively..

I offer these comps as better comparisons:
Washed-up James Neal in his first season in Edmonton.
PTO Chiasson.
Zack Kassian had eerily similar stats playing with McDavid. I rest my case.

3 million for what you can get as a PTO. Put Eakins on a line with McDavid. I bet he gets similar rates of production (as long as he can still skate anyway - my only caveat).

Look how far Puljujarvi is dropping in the points department since the draft:

Selected 3rd overall, but sits at 17th in points for the draft, even though - again - he is playing with McDavid and Draisaitl frequently. "But he played in Finland for two seasons!" - yes, I am a mind reader and I hear your screams. My reply is that Adam Fox went off to college and has only played 3 seasons in the NHL, but has blown by Puljujarvi (98pts vs 163), and in less games (253 for Puljujarvi, and 203 for Fox). I want to add this again - he has played a TONNE WITH McDAVID and DRAISAITL. Fox is fantastic, but come on.

Here are some additional random and stupid facts that may or may not have anything to do with anything:

McAvoy, Sergachev, Girard, Chychrun, Hronek.. what three things do they all have in common?
1) All taken in the 2016 draft AFTER Puljujarvi
2) All play DEFENCE
3) All have out-produced Puljujarvi

Dillon Dube - selected by Calgary in the 2nd round of that same draft - has played 200 games and put up 75 points. That equals to .375 ppg playing with mostly 3rd and 4th liners (Lucic, Bennett, etc) and very little PP time. Puljujarvi has .3784 ppg - playing with McDavid and Draisaitl, and getting more PP time (with McDavid and Draisaitl at times!).

Pick 175 in the 6th round was Florida's pick that year. They selected Maxim Mamim. That's a way better name than Jesse Puljujarvi.

Maybe Sutter can teach him how to be a better player? Sutter didn't seem to have much time or effort for Buddy Robinson. I think Puljujarvi is much closer to Buddy Robinson than to Nichushkin.


Next season, I am betting Puljujarvi becomes an UFA. Sign him for cheap,and see what happens. No matter where he lands, I will take the under when it comes to whatever his high in Edmonton is points-wise.

[Sandman]

Thanks for the write-ups, C4L! Always enjoy them.

I'm a guy who follows the draft very closely, and like you I really thought JP was going to be somebody. I was pissed he went to Edmonton.

[howard_the_duck]

I don't much like JP, but if anyone thinks we get a better player than that in a Valimaki swap at this point...

[TheScorpion]

I think Puljujarvi is much closer to Buddy Robinson than to Nichushkin.

Wow. I don't have many words for that! I strongly disagree — can't see any merit to that comparison whatsoever.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

I don't much like JP, but if anyone thinks we get a better player than that in a Valimaki swap at this point...

How about we get a player who doesn't have a $3 million cap hit for doing not much?

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

How about we get a player who doesn't have a $3 million cap hit for doing not much?

He's underachieved. But I'd absolutely take a flyer on him at $3M on a short-term deal.

Again. You're not getting that type of player, blemishes and all, for Valimaki straight up.

[TheScorpion]

Evolving-Hockey's model had Puljujarvi providing north of $8 million in value last season, FWIW. I wouldn't go nearly that high, but underachieving relative to draft position does not equate to a useless player.

I would be absolutely fine with Puljujarvi playing on my team's second or third line.

[InternationalVillager]

$8M? That model’s laughably broken.

[TheScorpion]

or — and hear me out — he's a very effective player who makes great things happen when he's on the ice, despite the criticisms constantly levied at him for largely intangible reasons.

$8m is absolutely a stretch. "Useless" and "unproductive" are much bigger stretches. he's been very good and will likely continue to be, and we should all be laughing about how the Oilers are trying to move him when they have far worse players on the roster making huge dollars — Foegele and Barrie immediately come to mind.

comparing him to Buddy Robinson — a 6'6" AHL bottom-sixer with nine career NHL points — is legitimately absurd to me. I don't understand the thought process behind that whatsoever. I'm assuming it's a E=NG thing, but I would expect the more plausible reaction to be of amused disbelief at the Oilers actively trying to unload a player who is highly effective by every quantitative measure.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1569386276503052290

[Sandman]

I would take JP as well. I think he's not half the player he should be, due to coming up in an organization that's one of the worst-run teams in the league for the last 15 years +. I have confidence that our coaches and locker room could turn him into something-maybe not a first-line superstar, but a good middle-six player.

[TheScorpion]

that being said, I think the need for another top-six winger is overblown ... I think Huberdeau, Mangiapane, Coleman, and Toffoli form an excellent crop.

I would really like to see Coleman receive some PP time this year. He barely saw time on either unit last season and finished with exactly zero PP points. But he was very productive at 5v5.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

that being said, I think the need for another top-six winger is overblown ... I think Huberdeau, Mangiapane, Coleman, and Toffoli form an excellent crop.

I would really like to see Coleman receive some PP time this year. He barely saw time on either unit last season and finished with exactly zero PP points. But he was very productive at 5v5.

I disagree only because of the fact that we've now built a team that needs to contend starting now with ours stars late 20's. If we were on the rise I'd say differently, but I think we're so damn close to being a true contender, and I think one star, scoring winger is that piece that would push us into "these guys could potentially knock off any team in the league in a series" status.

[jayswin]

Having said that, Toffoli could come into camp with more rest this season and be that scoring winger that puts us into contender range. So who knows.

[Sandman]

I agree that we've got a good group of forwards, but another scoring winger would put us over the top. Easier said than done.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

that being said, I think the need for another top-six winger is overblown ... I think Huberdeau, Mangiapane, Coleman, and Toffoli form an excellent crop.

I would really like to see Coleman receive some PP time this year. He barely saw time on either unit last season and finished with exactly zero PP points. But he was very productive at 5v5.

Toffoli seems to be someone that many people are downplaying IMO. He came in hot after the trade, but then his production stagnated a little in the last 15 games or so and into the playoffs. Although I actually think he was one of the better players in the playoffs. He was also downright robbed several times.

I am looking forward to seeing him rebound. There is no reason to think he won't. Some have suggested that his conditioning wasn't great when he was acquired, so a full Flames training camp could help.