Former Oilers forward Puljujarvi excited for "fresh start" with Hurricanes
Jesse Puljujarvi is finally getting his blank slate.
It took a while, but Puljujarvi, the No. 4 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, is excited for his inevitable fresh start with the Carolina Hurricanes after an up-and-down calendar year with the Edmonton Oilers.
“[It’s a] fresh start, for sure,” Puljujarvi told media Thursday. “A new start. It’s fun to be one of the guys here. It’s a good team here to be a part of. Bring some really good things here. I’m looking forward.”
Jesse’s here!
The new #Canes forward is on the ice with the full team for the first time. pic.twitter.com/8jTl6tUt3N
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) March 9, 2023
Puljujarvi was freed when the Oilers optioned him to the Hurricanes in a pre-NHL Trade Deadline deal on February 28. The move ended months — literally — of speculation over the 24-year-old’s future in Edmonton.
At the time of the trade, Puljujarvi had 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 58 games this season and makes $3 million on an expiring contract set to leave him as a restricted free agent at season’s end.
“It’s a hard league,” Puljujarvi admitted. “Day after day you have to be really good. I have good days and sometimes not that good. It was a really good six years, growing up every day.”
"[It's a] fresh start, for sure. A new start. It's fun to be one of the guys here. It's a good team to be a part of. [I want to] bring some really good things here. I'm looking forward."
Jesse Puljujarvi following his first morning skate as a member of the #Canes. pic.twitter.com/dehYo44gLf
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) March 9, 2023
Puljujarvi’s departure from Edmonton ended waiver-wire and trade rumours involving the Finnish forward that followed him from the offseason into the regular-season campaign. To leave him further twisting, it appeared that a mid-season trade might not’ve happened at all, and even Oilers general manager Ken Holland admitted they looked into re-signing the struggling forward.
“Jesse possesses a great blend of size and skill, and he will add to the depth of our forward group,” Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said in acquiring Puljujarvi. “He has familiarity with some of our other Finnish players, and we see him as a great fit for our team and locker room.”
It should be a comfortable adjustment for Puljujarvi, who is now on his second NHL team.
There’s a plethora of Finns in the club, including Teuvo Teravainen, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Sebastian Aho — whom he’s rooming with.
Biisonikuningas. 🦬👑 pic.twitter.com/Bj4DR60XUh
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) March 9, 2023
It should help provide Puljujarvi, who had 112 points (51 goals, 61 assists) in 317 career games over parts of six seasons in Edmonton, with that much-needed fresh start.
“For sure it’s a little bit easier to come to a new team that way,” Puljujarvi said.
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