Photo credit: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins - AHL
The Pittsburgh Penguins Secret Weapon Could Be A Hidden Top Five Pick
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward, Jesse Puljujarvi, is hoping to earn himself a NHL or AHL contract with the Penguins after battling back from injury. In the nine games he has played so far, he has 3 goals, one of which came last night with an assist to earn the WBS Penguins the 4-1 win over the Hartford Wolfpack at Mohegan Sun Arena Wednesday.
Come for the Pulju set-up, stay for the Pouly finish pic.twitter.com/x4H5gCf86E— WBS Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 25, 2024
When asked about his injury, Puljujarvi said,
«I've played nine games now, so if I'm (not) healthy, I couldn't play. So (I feel) pretty healthy.»
The Former Edmonton Oiler prospect Took 6 Years to Get to Where He Wants To Be Now
Puljujarvi underwent double hip resurfacing surgery over the summer and is finally in a place where he feels like he can be productive. He was a 2016 4th-overall pick set to play with Connor McDavid on a young team, but that never worked out for him.
He tried to play in Finland for a season, but that didn't work. After 6 years within the Edmonton organization, he was finally traded to the Carolina Hurricanes, hoping a fresh start somewhere new would help. It could have been the need for the hip surgery that had him struggling.
So in December, the Penguins signed Puljujarvi to an NHL free agent tryout deal. The tryout deal was for 10 days, he can practice with the team, but not play. After this 10 days, if he wanted to stay, it would be at his own expense.
The 6-foot-4, 201-pound winger fought to stay with the club, and eventually was signed to a tryout deal with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. This allowed him to continue his rehab while practicing with a team.
WELCOME TO THE PENS JESSE pic.twitter.com/3Cn5G1iv01— WBS Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 15, 2024
The prospects are looking up for Puljujarvi, he hopes that he can produce at the level he was once thought he would be able to. In his first game with the WBS Pens, on his first shift, he scored a goal. Not a bad way to start fresh.
As Read On: Pittsburgh Hockey Now - Hard Look at Jesse Puljujarvi; Is He NHL-Ready Yet?
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January 25 | 116 answers The Pittsburgh Penguins Secret Weapon Could Be A Hidden Top Five Pick Do you think that Jesse Puljujarvi will be playing at the NHL level soon? | ||
| Yes | 71 | 61.2 % |
| No | 45 | 38.8 % |
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