Jesse Puljujärvi has come a long way back to an NHL contract. After a difficult rehabilitation process, the Tornio resident plans to fully enjoy the opportunity at hand.
Anyone who has followed ice hockey in Finland can imagine the excitement Jesse Puljujärvi, 25. A wide smile, a lot of enthusiasm and enthusiasm in the voice. It was available on the telephone lines on Monday evening.
– These are big things for us, to be able to participate in these circles again, the winger, who signed a two-year and $1.6 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, enthused to Urheilu.
It’s easy to understand the player’s enthusiasm. Puljujärvi was badly sidetracked in Edmonton and the player trade to Carolina last spring did not change the situation, rather the opposite. Struggling with major hip pains, Puljujärvi did not fit into the spring lineup in the last matches.
He hasn’t played since then, because rehabilitating a major hip operation was a long and difficult experience. In many places it was doubted whether Puljujärvi would return to the NHL at all.
– Now you have to enjoy it specifically. It has come a long way and this was the main goal all along to get back to the big league. Now we are one step closer to it. Yes, you have to know how to be happy about it, Puljujärvi continued.
Puljujärvi didn’t get an NHL contract out of pity. Seven years ago, the NHL’s four-man reservation started to fight for a place in the sun through a 10-day trial period agreement with Pittsburgh.
It was soon announced that he would transfer to Pittsburgh’s AHL team Wilke/Barres-Scranton Penguins on a similar trial period contract. There, Puljujärvi got well into the rhythm of the game and the result was born: the balance of thirteen games was recorded as 4+5 and +8.
– It felt good and I improved week by week. I was able to play with the puck well and got good minutes. I saw what he can do on the field. It was really nice to play with good guys a lot and we managed to collect some wins. Ice hockey is nice again when there is no pain. You can just let it go, Puljujärvi gets excited again.
According to Puljujärvi, the background was from the beginning a return to the NHL.
– In the background, the club also had a strong belief that I can be a good player in this league and that the club will help. That’s why it was decided to come to Pittsburgh on a trial period contract.
The next step is more challenging
However, taking the next step requires a bit more from the player. The NHL is a different world than the AHL, and in the future you have to be able to bring your own contribution to the table even with less responsibility.
Although Puljujärvi was able to make a result in the iron league, in the big lights the role can be found in the lower chains. There is no pressure for results like in previous years, and Puljujärvi itself does not go chasing the moon from the sky.
– There are no more wonderful goals. I try to help and bring my own strengths on the field. I want to be energetic and bring winning stuff to the game. I want to be a winning, good player in the NHL.
– With a humble mind, I go to work hard. I haven’t thought much about what kind of role I would be happy with. At first, the most important thing is to just get to play. As long as he can help the team, Puljujärvi is spinning.
Even the player himself does not yet know when Puljujärvi will make his Steel City debut.
– Hopefully soon. We are ready.
The Finnish winger has practiced in Pittsburgh’s triple chain with two experienced, first-round reserves by Lars Eller34, and By Rickard Rakel30, alongside.
Pittsburgh faces Winnipeg at home on Wednesday morning, Minnesota away on the weekend and Winnipeg again.
Puljujärvi has played in Edmonton and Carolina in 334 NHL games and scored 114 points (51+63). The power statistic is in the plus by five hits.