Oilers will look to trade Puljujarvi, or possibly put him on waivers: report
The general consensus seems to be that the 2022-23 campaign will be the last for forward Jesse Puljujarvi in an Edmonton Oilers jersey.
The struggling winger, who has just one goal and five assists in 30 games this season and has mused about his ability or place in the NHL, has long been a hot-button topic in Edmonton circles as it pertains to his future.
The Oilers know this.
So, too, do other teams around the league.
That’s led to at least three teams at least poking around the No. 4 pick from the 2016 NHL Draft, according to league insider Elliotte Friedman.
“At times, I’ve heard Anaheim, Carolina, and Detroit have at least looked at it, but I don’t think anything’s ever been close to what the Oilers would consider,” Friedman wrote in his 32 Thoughts blog on Thursday. “Right now, battling with injuries and for the playoffs, they don’t want to be shorthanded.
“But, when they get healthy, they’ll look at trade options or possibly even waivers.”
The Oilers are currently without forwards Evander Kane (wrist), Warren Foegele (undisclosed), and Ryan McLeod (undisclosed).
The Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings are in the midst of a rebuild and could afford to be patient with the 24-year-old who amassed 14 goals and 36 points in 65 games last season. The Carolina Hurricanes have a plethora of similar-vintage Finnish-born forwards, including 25-year-old Sebastian Aho, 22-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and 28-year-old Teuvo Teravaianen.
Each environment would give Puljujarvi a shot at rebuilding some much-lost confidence.
“It’s sad,” Puljujarvi told journalist Tommi Seppälä in an exclusive interview with Finnish outlet YLE news agency on Tuesday evening. “I’ve been thinking a lot [about] how to do things differently. Right now, I just don’t have the answer.”
Puljujarvi has the balance of a one-year, $3 million contract remaining.
According to Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, simply getting out from underneath the deal would be sufficient enough for the Oilers.
That might leave waivers, as Friedman suggested, as the only option moving forward for both player and team.
“If it goes to the summer, I’d imagine Edmonton doesn’t qualify him and he signs elsewhere,” Friedman wrote. “Hope he finds inner peace well before then.”
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