The locker room is empty, the go out interviews were carried out, and Jay Woodcroft and Ken Holland have met with the media one final time.
For the Oilers, the method starts with retooling and seeking to reinforce upon a season that noticed them have their inner most playoff run since 2006. Development, needless to say, however simply in need of a target they got here so with reference to attaining.
One of the vital greatest focuses for the Oilers this summer time? The way forward for Jesse Puljujarvi. He brings price, however is it sufficient to stay making an investment in him?
Everybody has a take at the 24-year-old Finnish ahead. Some love his play and what he brings, whilst others really feel he hasn’t been generating sufficient, is not a top-six ahead, and will have to be traded this summer time.
While you have a look at the complicated stats, there may be improbable price in his sport that you can not forget about from this previous season.
Puljujarvi used to be persistently one of the vital Oilers’ higher defensive forwards and installed a lot of paintings to generate scoring possibilities when he used to be at the ice.
Let’s get into just a little extra about his effectiveness at the Oilers roster. In all eventualities, his person 91 high-danger possibilities in all eventualities all through the common season had been fifth-most amongst skaters at the group. When it got here to the share of overall targets whilst on ice, his mark of 64.56 p.c used to be a group excessive, in line with Herbal Stat Trick. Turnovers had been additionally uncommon for Puljujarvi, as he had 17 giveaways all through the season at 5-on-5. Right through the playoffs, his person anticipated targets for stat at 2.46, a better quantity than Zack Kassian and Ryan McLeod. In his restricted playoff mins at 5-on-5, Puljujarvi generated a high-danger likelihood benefit of 42-25.
The most important factor, despite the fact that, is his inconsistent play. His 8.8 taking pictures proportion is some distance from ultimate. Positive, he neglected time because of accidents and sickness, and had he performed with reference to all the 82-game common season, he would were on tempo to go the 20-goal mark for the primary time in his profession. An uptick in taking pictures proportion would not harm, both.
“He by no means misplaced the realization of his teammates or his training team of workers,” Woodcroft stated. “I assumed he had some excellent moments and scored a few large targets for us, one within the LA collection and one within the Calgary collection. He is a excellent younger participant.”
Holland’s technique to Puljujarvi is not as easy as his “that is what I have were given to type out” answer relating to Puljujarvi’s long term. The ones phrases did not venture the picture of self belief that Holland sees him within the franchise’s long-term plans. In the event you industry Puljujarvi, who is his alternative? Does Holland have sufficient consider in his prospect farm?
Puljujarvi used to be a defensive rock and persistently were given pucks to the web when enjoying with Connor McDavid and Evander Kane, so it is laborious to consider they might get appropriate price for him. Holland’s precedence will have to be shifting on from the contracts of Zack Kassian or Tyson Barrie as a substitute of Puljujarvi, however that is a lot more straightforward stated than executed.
We’re going to have to attend and spot if there is a deal for the soon-to-be limited unfastened agent. But when Puljujarvi can keep wholesome, the Oilers are higher for it.
