On a blustery winter night following a snowstorm in Wilkes-Barre, PA, the Wilkes-Bare/Scranton Penguins fell to the Providence Bruins (3-2). Despite the loss, a tired yet very happy Jesse Puljujärvi sat down with AHL News Now after his post-game workout to talk about how getting back into the swing of hockey life is going, plus more.
Getting Back Into The Swing Of Hockey:
Imagine being 25 years old and having double hip surgery. That is what happened to Jesse Puljujärvi this past off-season.
Unfortunately, it came at the expense of his former team, the Carolina Hurricanes, choosing not to offer him a qualifying offer. He was coming off a one-year, three-million-dollar contract with the Edmonton Oilers. With all the contract talk, Puljujärvi became an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his young career.
Prior to being drafted, Puljujärvi participated in the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships. He won a gold medal for Finland and was named MVP. He led the tournament in assists and points. At the ripe young age of 16, he made his professional debut in 2014 for Oulun Kärpät.
Puljujärvi was selected fourth overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut at 18 years old. He spent three years on an entry-level contract and bounced between the NHL and AHL. During the course of those three seasons, he tallied 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points in the span of 139 games with the Oilers.
Getting back into the swing of things after a surgery such as Puljujärvi’s, it can be hard to gauge where the player is at in his game just by watching him:
“I have played six games, I’m getting a little bit improved in the last couple of games. It’s not where I want to be all of the time, but I am getting better. It’s been fun to play after a long break.”
Puljujärvi on his return form injury
Coming back from injury or surgery includes rehabbing and doing activities to keep yourself healthy and ready to play the game. There is also a mental component that comes along with having surgery or coming back from injury:
“I’ve been working really hard the past half year. I just need to be smart and understand new hips, new body. Just go hard every day and have fun.”
Most players have a game day routine, but once someone leaves that routine for a good amount of time, getting back into it or finding a new one takes time!
“I haven’t played in a long time, so I don’t really have a routine. Right now, I am trying to find a good routine.”
Playing Overseas
Before the 2019-2020 season began, Puljujärvi decided to return to Finland and play for Oulun Kärpät’s SM-liiga team on a one-year contract. With that contract, Puljujärvi could have moved back to the NHL before December 1st of that season. He decided to remain in Finland and was a top-line player for Oulun Kärpät, mostly playing with Juho Lammikko and Mika Pyörälä. Puljujärvi led the team in points and goals. He was tied for the lead in assists with Lammikko before the season ended due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In August of 2020, he signed a one-year contract with Kärpät. During that season, he was named Alternate Captain.
“When I went back there, I think it was a good choice to get that next step. I had a good time there. The biggest difference is the bigger ice”
Playoff Time
After the demands of the season, the reward for a lucky few is the playoffs. The feeling, the energy, and the intensity are something that every player who has ever gone to the postseason with their team can agree; it’s a feeling like no other.
“I really enjoyed showing up in games like that. After a long season, it’s nice to get those big games. They always feel really high intensity. Hopefully I can play in more and more of those games.”
Goal Getter
After surgery, rehabbing, and returning to play the game he loves, does Puljujärvi have any goals for the rest of the season?
The AHL, along with its counterparts in the ECHL and NHL, are right in the thick of their seasons. The margin for error gets smaller and smaller with each game played, and setting goals for a player is equally as important as setting goals for the entirety of the team.
“The goal is building up the game every day, every game. Trying to play good hockey. I think the most important thing is to always just enjoy the game.”
Learning Lessons:
After a career such as Puljujärvi’s thus far, a player learns a few lessons along the windy road, setbacks, highs, and lows:
“Everyday you try to learn something. Be the best for yourself.”
Head In The Game:
Every player is different in their skill set, the way they play the game and their in-game mindset. Puljujärvi speaks on what his in-game mindset is:
“The best mindset in the game is when you just play and you don’t think about anything else. I think just keeping your head in the game is best.”
Locker Room Attitude:
Once a team starts meshing together, people watching the game can see it. They can also see when a team isn’t meshing. This can be explained by attitudes on and off the ice and inside the locker room. Attitude during the season can affect what happens on the ice with play and communication:
“I think for sure that when the team is really in the game and the guys have a good mindset, the feeling in the locker room is good. I think for sure, that is a big thing. So I think in here, guys are having a really fun time.”
On January 4th, 2024, Puljujärvi signed a Professional Try Out Contract with Wilkes-Barre Scranton. He has dressed for six games and has tallied two goals and two assists in his last two games. During his six games, he has faced Springfield, Hartford, Providence, and Bridgeport.
Puljujärvi is a player who combines not only skill but also skating and size. He can use his size and keep the puck close to him while skating past opponents. Puljujärvi is an intelligent player with an incredible work ethic and always has a smile on his face and a positive attitude. While he isn’t a scorer, he is a very smart playmaker.
Puljujärvi and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins return to action on Saturday, January 20, against the Hershey Bears in Hershey, PA. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m.
