Jesse Puljujärvi Has an Amazing Shot
27 Mar 2018Last week Dustin Nielson of TSN1260 published a blog post on OilersNation, The Curious Case of Jesse Puljujarvi . I need to bring further attention to this incredible passage of the above linked post:
I was recently told by someone in the Oilers department of hockey operations that Puljujarvi has yet to prove he can one-time the puck well enough to see regular time on the man advantage. “Not a great shooter” I was told. I respectfully disagree.
Someone being paid by the Oilers to advise or direct hockey operations thinks Jesse Puljujärvi is “not a great shooter”. I must ask: did this person also think Oliver Ekman-Larsson played for the New Jersey Devils in 2015-16?
Before I further explore the topic of Jesse Puljujärvi’s shot, I cannot pass up the opportunity to comment on the first sentence of Dustin’s post:
Puljujarvi is not Finnish for “has to earn it more than everyone else in the line up”
Progress! Finally someone in the Edmonton media acknowledges the agonizing double-standard that holds back the development of young, skilled Oilers players. See also: Anton Slepyshev. I assume it’s a coincidence that the only players that have to “earn” it are not from North America. See also: Drake Caggiula.
Puljujarvi has had an amazing shot for many years
Dustin provided “Exhibit A” to prove why that opinion of Puljujärvi was comedic at best, ignorant at worst. He said many other good things in defense of Jesse, and rightly chastised the coaching staff for their powerplay personnel decision-making this season. He’s an admitted Puljujärvi fanboy and for that and his post I salute him. Also, for scoring over 300 goals in one game last winter for charity. Kudos.
It was a great first post on OilersNation. I hope everyone ponders for a moment that Dustin published that there and not on TSN.ca. 🤔
Back to Jesse, the “not a great shooter”.
I hereby provide Exhibits B through AV.
I’ve started each video below at an appropriate timestamp where he scores a goal, almost all of them with an incredible shot. He’s scored a lot more goals than these over the last few years, including some amazing breakaway goals and other dekes, but those were not relevant to disprove how great his shot is.
I know there are a few duplicated goals in the videos below. Sorry, but not sorry, because you’re going to enjoy watching all of these more than once.
This next video starts 1:11 in. See also: 1:38, 2:25, 2:42, and 3:03.
This next video starts 1:08 in. See also: 3:58, 4:20, 4:32, 4:54, 6:08, 6:18, and 8:02.
This next video starts 0:22 in. See also: 1:30.
This next video starts 1:40 in. See also: 1:56, and 2:14.
He doesn’t score in this next video, but I marvelled watching him control this powerplay and create chance after chance. Wouldn’t this look good on the Oilers right now?
This next video starts 1:05 in. See also: 2:28.
This next video starts 1:10 in. See also: 1:28, 3:16, and 3:44, and 9:58.
This one was Nielson’s Exhibit A but it was so good I wanted to include it with the other goals he scored on the Oilers.
I rest my case.
Preach it, Oilers fans! #FreePuljujarvi #McDavidForHart #FireChiarelli #FireMcLellan #FireWoodcroft #FireJohnson Go Oilers Go…
Jim Roepcke is a software developer living in Penticton, BC. He was 4 years old when the Oilers joined the NHL, and grew up thinking it was normal for the teams he cheered for to win the Stanley Cup and Grey Cup every year. Sigh.