Edmonton faces tough solutions in the summer due to pay cap problems. The club management wants to strengthen the team, but at the same time some players have to give up. Jesse Puljujärvi has also been mentioned in transfer rumors.
There was nothing left for the Edmonton Oilers to explain in the conference final series against Colorado. The Avalanche, who grabbed the winning trophy at the Western Conference, bounced off the surprising spring in Edmonton in four games and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since the summer of 2002.
Oilers’ Finnish pier Jesse Puljujärvi did not go to explain.
– Colorado has been one of the best in the West for a couple of years and we got to notice it. They were a really fast team and in every way better at that, nothing can be done about it. They were better and deserved the goals and bounces they got, Puljujärvi bundles.
For both Oilers and Puljujärvi themselves, the journey to the final of the conference was long and difficult. As a team, the trip included both hard rises and steep falls, as well as a change of coach in January. Against all this, the tough spring boom and busting Los Angeles and Calgary in the playoffs was a tough performance for the team.
– At one point, a long losing streak was needed outside the playoffs. Yes, we came a long way to the conference final, Puljujärvi continued.
Spring left me hungry
Puljujärvi’s own season was frontloaded. The power striker got a flying start to the season both playfully and in light of the result, and at the same time became a big favorite of the Edmonton audience.
On the other hand, during the spring season, the tank began to dry out. The game first lost power and then Ice Age. In the regular season Puljujärvi scored 14 + 22 = 36 in 65 matches, 2 + 1 in the playoffs.
When the buzzer last rumbled, Puljujärvi sat in the locker room in a confused mood.
– It was a really empty feeling and a feeling of excitement, that’s what now. It felt like the season ended all of a sudden. Strange feeling that summer is starting and there is no agreement yet. And you never know what will happen.
After the season, Puljujärvi headed for shoulder surgery. It takes 4 to 6 weeks to recover from surgery.
Puljujärvi really played out his contract, and there is no certainty about the future in Alberta. Edmonton has, at best, only tens of millions of bucks on nine field players and one goalkeeper.
The value of Puljujärvi has certainly risen this season, which puts GM Ken Hollandin to a tight situation.
Does the club want to commit to Puljujärvi and pay a little more than before (1.45 million this season) or let go? Lake Puljujärvi is a limited free agent, so the rights remain with Edmonton.
Puljujärvi is aware of the situation and the rumors of traffic that circulate around it from time to time.
– It’s hard to say anything yet, but I want an NHL agreement. Let’s see in peace where we’re going.
Puljujärvi will certainly get an NHL contract, but where? The booking event in July in particular is an interesting time for many players, as there are often a lot of player deals around the event.
If Edmonton doesn’t want Puljujärvi, there’s sure to be a buyer for a power pier that has taken clear development steps, even though the spring season was a minor victory.
– This is a tough world and anything can happen here. I don’t know if I’ll come back here anymore or what the leaders will end up doing then. Surely with that in mind, a booking opportunity is an exciting time to see if something happens. However, the NHL deal is the most important thing for itself. I definitely want to keep playing here.
Play Puljujärvi anywhere this season, it is certain that a hungry player will appear at the training camp in September. Although Puljujärvi was satisfied with his season in many ways, the feeling of hunger was paramount.
– The beginning was quite amazing when you think about it now. It started to work just fine. For the rest of the season, it was left in a tooth cavity. There is nothing that I wanted to do better. Power points should have been made and I would have liked to play a lot more. Yes, this left a big famine, Puljujärvi said.
– I want to see that I can play a big role all season. Year after year, I want to be better and that’s where we’re going. This was also a long and nice season, but I did learn a lot here.
Puljujärvi plans to spend the summer in the Oulu region as usual. There, he joins a familiar NHL men’s training group, among other things Sebastian Ahon, Janne Kuokkanen, Markus Nutivaaran, Jani Hakanpää and Niko Mikkolan with.
– Nice to get to work with the guys, we had a lot of fun last summer too.
The culminating matches of the NHL season, including all the Stanley Cup finals, will be seen live on ’s channels.