After undergoing double hip resurfacing surgery almost eight months ago, Jesse Puljujarvi has successfully made a comeback to the NHL. Following a period of recovery, which involved a stint with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an AHL professional tryout contract, Puljujarvi has returned to the top league.
The Penguins officially signed Puljujarvi to a two-year, one-way contract with an $800,000 average annual value. Expressing his excitement, Puljujarvi stated, “I’m feeling great. I’ve been working really hard, and it’s really nice to be part of this team right now.”
Puljujarvi joined the Penguins on a professional tryout contract on December 10, following a schedule that included practicing with the team on some days and engaging in off-ice rehab on others. Subsequently, he signed an AHL-level professional tryout contract with Wilkes-Barre on January 4, where he showcased his skills with four goals and five assists. During his time with Wilkes-Barre, Puljujarvi played in a top-six wing role and contributed to the power play.
Kyle Dubas expressed optimism about Jesse Puljujarvi’s potential impact on the Penguins, stating, “If he earns his way into a contract, that would be great… a massive boost for us if he could get back to his form of a season or two ago with the Oilers and what he was able to bring for them.” The management engaged in serious discussions with Puljujarvi’s camp about a contract last week, finalizing the signing on Sunday.
Puljujarvi faced challenges in the previous season, grappling with hip issues. He contributed five goals and nine assists in 58 games with Edmonton before being traded to Carolina, where he added two assists in 17 games to conclude the season. Dubas referred to Puljujarvi’s notable performance in the 2021-22 season with Edmonton when he tallied 14 goals and 22 assists in 65 games. Additionally, Puljujarvi had a strong 2020-21 season, recording 15 goals and 10 assists in 55 games despite the COVID-shortened schedule.
Kyle Dubas, commenting on Jesse Puljujarvi’s signing, emphasized the player’s ability to excel alongside top talent, particularly demonstrated during his time in Edmonton. Dubas highlighted Puljujarvi’s strengths, praising his forechecking skills, ability to disrupt opposing defenses, and knack for getting under opponents’ skin. He emphasized Puljujarvi’s physicality, forechecking prowess, and use of pace and reach to impact the game positively, citing the 2020-2021 season as a prime example of when Puljujarvi was at his best.
Puljujarvi, speaking on his current status, revealed he is now pain-free and utilized his time in Wilkes-Barre to refine his skating technique. He expressed enthusiasm, saying, “I’ve been working really hard on getting this opportunity to be called to get some games again up in the best league in the world.” Puljujarvi is optimistic about playing soon and making a significant contribution.
Penguins’ coach Mike Sullivan mentioned that Jesse Puljujarvi is expected to be a “game-time decision” for the upcoming home game against the Jets on Tuesday. If Puljujarvi does play, it appears he may debut on the third line alongside Rickard Rakell and Lars Eller, based on the line combinations used in Sunday’s practice. Lars Eller expressed his excitement about Puljujarvi joining the team on a full NHL contract, saying, “If you’re in the NHL, you’re here for a reason. I’m excited and curious to see what he can bring. Hopefully, we can find some chemistry.”
During practice, Puljujarvi did not skate on either power play unit but rotated with penalty-killers, a standard practice for skaters not on the power play. However, Coach Sullivan mentioned that Puljujarvi is “certainly an option” for the power play as the team experiments with effective units.
Securing the contract marks the next step in Puljujarvi’s journey to return from major surgery, and now he is eager to be a contributing factor to the team. Puljujarvi expressed his confidence, stating, “I think I can help this team when I’m skating well and make good plays and be myself.” He emphasized his positive mindset and enthusiasm to be part of the team after a long and challenging journey.
