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Penguins make smart bet on former fourth overall pick |
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Over the weekend the Penguins made it official, Jesse Puljujarvi is now a Pittsburgh Penguin. Puljujarvi had been on a PTO with the organization as he was working his way back from a double hip surgery.
This is a really good piece of business by Dubas and the Penguins. This contract is for minimal money and it is for two years. The second year is the important part. If Puljujarvi pans out the team now has another cost controlled year and won’t be at risk of losing his services. This would be a much needed value contract for the team and it will come on a reasonable bet that the former #4 overall pick can give them solid bottom six minutes.
Puljujarvi started slow with the baby Penguins which is understandable after the type of surgery he had. He consistently started performing better and thus the official contract and the promotion to the big club. After zero points in his first four games he put up four goals and nine points in his next nine games. The NHL will certainly be a big leap and I’m guessing it will take a little time to get acclimated, but it does appear he is working his way back from the hip surgery.
In the case that Puljujarvi does not work out with the Penguins it will not have cost the team assets nor provide a salary cap issue as that money can be buried in the AHL. This is a free bet on a player. A smart one in my opinion.
Puljujarvi will start on the third line with Lars Eller and Rickard Rakell
We’ll see where this goes. I think the Penguins will get a nice return on investment here.
Thanks for reading!
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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