Penguins give former Oilers 1st-rounder Jesse Puljujarvi a tryout
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Mike Sullivan has a voice with all the subtlety of a circular saw with a diamond tooth blade cutting through asphalt.
So when the Pittsburgh Penguins coach called upon a newcomer to skate on the top line during a practice session at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday, it caught everyone’s attention.
Especially because it was a player who was the fourth overall selection in a recent NHL Draft.
“Where’s Jesse?” Sullivan boomed. “Work in on Sid’s line!”
Jesse would be Jesse Puljujarvi, a first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2016 who has joined the Penguins on a tryout basis. After undergoing medical testing Saturday, he practiced Sunday.
His presence with the Penguins is more at the “kick the tires” stage as opposed to “What’s the MSRP?” phase.
But with injuries to top-six forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust depleting the team’s right wing corps, the fact that Puljujarvi alternated with incumbent Drew O’Connor on the Penguins’ top line with center Sidney Crosby and left winger Jake Guentzel was significant.
Especially to Puljujarvi, who is trying to get his once-promising career back on track after a rough offseason that included surgery on both hips.
“It’s just been a long wait,” said Puljujarvi, a right-handed shot. “It is what it is right now. Rehabbing really hard to get back here. I’m happy now.”
The Oilers were happy to have Puljujarvi (6-foot-4, 201 pounds) drop to them at No. 4 in the 2016 NHL Draft and had designs on him being a complementary linemate to one of their two franchise centers, Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid.
But those ambitions never were realized over the six seasons Puljujarvi spent in Alberta. His high-water mark of production came in 2021-22 when he posted 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists) in 65 games.
Last season, the Oilers dealt Puljujarvi to the Carolina Hurricanes in late February, a few days before the trade deadline in a maneuver that was more about clearing salary cap space.
Between the Oilers and Hurricanes, Puljujarvi appeared in 75 games and scored 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) while averaging 12 minutes, 14 seconds of ice time.
A pending restricted free agent entering this past offseason, Puljujarvi — born in Sweden and raised in Finland — did not receive a qualifying offer from the Hurricanes and became an unrestricted free agent in July. Five months later, he is in the Penguins’ nest, albeit without a contract.
The terms of his tryout aren’t similar to a professional tryout contract (PTO). He can participate in all team activities with the considerable exception of playing games. And the team will pay his expenses for 10 days. Anything beyond that comes out of his pocket.
Hardly ideal. But given the uncertainty he has experienced in his career this calendar year, Puljujarvi (pronounced YEH -see poo -lee -AHR -vee) is grateful for any port in a storm.
“Yeah, it has been tough,” said Puljujarvi, who was signed to a one-year contract worth $3 million last season. “I’ve been through a lot and fight every day to get the best possible way to play. But now I (have) done that surgery, I’m feeling better.
Puljujarvi’s arrival comes against the context of Rakell and Rust being sidelined over the past few weeks.
Currently designated to long-term injured reserve, Rakell has missed the past nine games and is not eligible to rejoin the active roster until Saturday. He worked out on the ice with assistant coach Ty Hennes before Sunday’s practice.
Rust’s status remains uncertain. Suffering an injury during a 3-1 road loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, Rust missed Friday’s 3-1 road loss to the Florida Panthers. On Sunday, Sullivan did not provide a substantive update on Rust and indicated he still is being evaluated.
“It’s a tough guy to replace,” Guentzel said of Rust. “He plays in all situations. Does a lot for our team. Guys are going to have to step up. We’re going to have to do it by committee. It’s hard to replace a guy like that. It’s going to be tough, but I think we’ve got the guys to do it.”
With the blend of their top two right wingers being hobbled and a four-game losing streak (0-2-2), no option can be dismissed. Especially a former top draft pick such as Puljujarvi.
“As I said to him (Sunday) morning, there’s an opportunity to possibly establish himself with a roster spot here,” Sullivan said. “There’s opportunity. It’s our responsibility as a coaching staff and (with management) to do our best to continue to work to improve our team. It’s a competitive business. That’s just an aspect of it. Jesse is a guy that has played in the league that has had some success and could potentially help us in some capacity.”
Trying to figure out what capacity is a work in progress. For the moment, Puljujarvi is just happy to be back in the NHL, even on a tryout basis.
“My feeling is good,” Puljujarvi said. “I can play nice hockey. I can bring a lot of things. Help the guys forechecking. I think I can make good plays and be hard to play (against).”