Edmonton Oilers: 5 players who must improve next season
5. Jesse Puljujarvi
The Edmonton Oilers drafted Jesse Puljujarvi with the fourth overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft. Considering the success the three guys drafted before him (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, and Pierre-Luc Dubois) have had, it’s a bit frustrating for Oilers fans to see him not putting up impressive numbers.
But to be fair, Puljujarvi hasn’t been given ideal circumstances. He shouldn’t have been in the NHL at all during the 2016-17 season. But not only was Puljujarvi in a league where he didn’t quite belong, he also spent far too much time as a healthy scratch.
light. Related Story. Ranking Each Team's All-Time Starting Lineup
The Oilers need more out of him next season. There are some very encouraging signs. First of all, Puljujarvi was arguably one of the best wings McDavid played with last season. Though he spent over 100 minutes at five-on-five with both McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, he didn’t get much of a chance with both of them (less than five minutes with both).
If Puljujarvi gets a chance on the top line as the right wing with those two, he could be primed for a breakout season. And it’s not like the Oilers have many options on the right side. If Puljujarvi can help make that already top-notch first line even more productive, Edmonton has a shot at making the playoffs.