WRITTEN FROM SATURDAY
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The Oilers host the Winnipeg Jets on New Year's Eve, Sunday. The game can be seen on Sportsnet at 5 pm MST, or heard on 630 CHED and the Oilers Radio Network.
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Inside The Oilers Blog
Puljujärvi's rookie season was an adjustment. The 19-year-old came into the League with high expectations, having been taken fourth overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. He finished his rookie campaign with one goal and seven assists in 28 NHL games, while also collecting 12 goals and 28 points in 39 American Hockey League contests.
Throughout that time, Puljujärvi learned he could not play the same way in North America that he did in Europe.
"The NHL is a smaller rink," he explains. "You have to go to the areas (in front of the net). Last year, I wouldn't go there. I always played on the outside. I think right now, I know what the game is like here. I know what I have to do and that's the thing I have to keep doing."
You see it in his game now. Puljujärvi has eight goals this season - seven more than his rookie total - and a number of them have been scored by the big forward willing himself to the right scoring areas, most notably pouncing on loose pucks in the slot.
On Friday night, Puljujärvi took another step forward in his development. He scored his first power-play goal of the season against the Chicago Blackhawks.
"The power play is the other thing I have to learn a little more," he said. "I think that's coming for me."
In the team's 4-3 overtime loss to Chicago, Puljujärvi played the most minutes in a game that he has his entire career thus far, taking the ice for 20:24. Nearly two minutes of that was on the man advantage.
Puljujärvi has goals in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, and he's playing with a lot of confidence. He's also shot the puck 13 total times in his last two games. He says when you're playing well, the chances will come and when the chances come, he has to shoot.
"Right now, I'm doing pretty good," he said. "I have good linemates, and that's helping me out very much."
His linemates were shuffled against Chicago, as the winger was moved to play with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, rather than his now familiar spot with Connor McDavid - but don't assume that to be a negative.
Coaches will often place their younger, developing players with more experienced NHLers who can get their individual games going. Another sign of a step forward in a player's development is when the younger skater becomes the one used to spark others. You saw a sample of that against Chicago.
"I thought when he went on that line, it got going," said Head Coach Todd McLellan. "Connor's line was creating a number of chances, we needed more than Connor's line in that game… We needed another line. A lot of times we've used others to help Jesse out. In that case, we put Jesse there and that line became dangerous, with Nuge and Patty Maroon.
"I think there's probably some people that thought he was demoted. I thought it was a promotion to try and get a line going. He responded and we were able to get some offence from him and that line. He scored on the power play. There's a lot of good things going for Jesse right now, and eventually he'll become the player who makes others better too."
Puljujärvi's emergence is a major positive for Edmonton; however, they won't put any more pressure on him now, but rather just hope he keeps doing what he's doing.
"I think I am playing very much simple," said Puljujärvi. "I am going to the net, I am shooting more, and I skate better."
