Follow @SMaloughney The Oilers win versus the Hawks was not the Oilers prettiest win of the season but it was another win nonetheless. A win that put the team into second place in the division. Fans have to be feeling great right now. There is an old saying that the season can't be won in October but it can be lost. Feel good everyone.
Do you know who probably doesn't feel as good right now? Jesse Puljujarvi.
Yes I'm going to be that guy who brings up the negatives while everyone is riding high. This is why I am no fun at parties...if I was ever invited anymore.
The bar keeps changing on Puljujarvi. First off he needed to have a good pre-season to show that he belonged in the NHL. Checkmark, he had four goals with most of his time spent with bottom 6 players and less ice-time.
The regular season begins and Puljujarvi starts the season on a third line with Ryan Strome and Jujhar Khaira. This line did nothing to produce in the first game...nor did any line except for the McDavid line. After the first game, Khaira dropped down to the fourth line and Caggiula joined the third line.
Over the next 3 games none of those players would register a point.
That was until late in the fourth game when McLellan started mixing up the lines and slotted Jesse with Draisaitl for some shifts and then a couple with McDavid. Jesse Puljujarvi scored the tying goal in that game which then allowed Nurse to score the OT winner.
From games 5-7 Jesse would play on the second line with Draisaitl and Rieder. Puljujarvi would not register a point during these games neither would Rieder. Draisaitl through these games did produce but only when on the ice with McDavid or RNH.
Time on Ice for Puljujarvi from the Boston, Nashville, and Pittsburgh games were as followed: 12:46, 12:24, 8:03. Puljujarvi was then sat against the Capitals and has yet to return to the lineup.
At this point Puljujarvi had one goal on the season, the same number of goals as Lucic, Yamamoto, and Rattie. Strome has yet to register a single point. At this time neither had Caggiula or Kassian. Secondary scoring was non-existent across the roster.
The standards have been different for Jesse than for anyone else. Kassian takes a dumb penalty against the Predators that could have cost them the game. McLellan plays him the next game and Kassian scores a goal. Kassian played his best game of the year against Chicago... which shouldn't be difficult because the bar was set so low from his prior performances. The coach decided "this player has made some dumb mistakes but I am going to show him I have faith in him by giving him a chance to bounce back." For whatever reason, Puljujarvi has never gotten the benefit of the doubt with this coach.
Draisaitl and Rieder have found chemistry over the past few games and Draisaitl is looking like the player we expected him to be driving his own line. Chiasson has taken advantage of his opportunity and potted some goals but his overall play on that line could be reproduced by another. I think Jesse Puljujarvi deserves a chance to play on this line once again.
McLellan said he wanted Puljujarvi to build up confidence and thought that he and Strome could develop good chemistry together. The third line has had some chances and been effective at keeping possession 5 on 5 but struggles to produce. I think Jesse Puljujarvi should return to the third line and spend 10 or more games building chemistry there.
Let's be clear, Puljujarvi has had struggles this season. He has shown to be effective using his body and going after the puck but has also made some bad errors, some blatant giveaways, and has returned to shooting at the perimeter where there is very little chance for the puck to go in. I think Jesse Puljujarvi should be sent down to the AHL and play over 20 minutes a night on the top line.
See what I did there? Any of these decisions are options that could benefit both the team and the player. Continuing to healthy scratch a 20 year old helps no one.
The idea of writing Puljujarvi off as a bust is one of the more idiotic things I've seen suggested recently. Play the kid somewhere. Make a decision and most importantly; hold him to the same standards as every other player.