It's Pool Party Time

[FLPensFan]

[KG]

No risk. Definitely worth a shot!

[Admin]

Double hip surgery party!

[FLPensFan]

Nope, no risk at all. I had wanted them to take a flyer on him a year or so ago when he could have been had for cheap, too.

Unfortunately, the odds are stacked very much against him. Take his inconsistent play out of the equation for a minute...he had double hip resurfacing surgery, which is an extremely difficult surgery to come back from. The only saving grace he may have is he is much younger than others recently who attempted a comeback after the surgery:

• Nicklas Bäckström: 47GP, 22 PTS
• Carl Hagelin: 0 GP, 0 PTS
• Ryan Kesler: 0 GP, 0 PTS
• Ed Jovanovski: 37 GP, 5 PTS

[Sams_Dog]

Reclamation project. There’s a chance it’ll pay off but this doesn’t excite me.

[Badger Bob]

From the P-G:

Former lottery pick Jesse Puljujarvi joins Penguins on free agent tryout
ANDREW DESTIN
Post-Gazeete
Dec. 10, 2023

The Penguins’ search for better results from its forwards has forced the organization to exhaust countless internal options.
Now, the team is looking outside of Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for some help.
The Penguins announced that forward Jesse Puljujarvi had joined the team on a free agent tryout. He practiced with the Penguins, his first day of on-ice activity with the team, Sunday morning at PPG Paints Arena.
Puljujarvi, a top five pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, underwent double hip surgery over the offseason and did not sign with a team after finishing out last year with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 25-year-old Puljujarvi’s NHL career began with the Edmonton Oilers, for whom he found his greatest success. In the 2021-22 campaign, Puljujarvi netted 14 goals and 22 assists for an Oilers squad that made it to the Western Conference Finals.
But Puljujarvi’s time in Edmonton came to a close near the NHL trade deadline when he was dealt to Carolina in the midst of a lackluster campaign. His struggles continued for the Hurricanes, for whom he failed to score a goal in 17 games.
As part of Puljujarvi’s free agent tryout, he can participate in all team activities and travel with the Penguins for upcoming road trips. The Penguins can cover Puljujarvi’s expenses his first 10 days with the team, but after then is responsible for any costs he may incur.
As such, it’s likely this week and change will give both sides an opportunity to determine if Puljujarvi is a fit for a Penguins team that’s lost four in a row and only won three times in its last 11 games.

Plan the parade. Always good to have those double hip surgery guys on the roster.

[Antonio]

Who cares. One more useless broken bit to this basket of shattered pottery. What could it hurt?

[FLPensFan]

If he can get past the hip issues, he could be a solid bottom 6 add. His defensive metrics were always very, very good. It is his finishing that is the issue.

On a team that needs to finish plays, he may not help unless they can develop that further. But, at the moment, I think he would be an upgrade over what we've seen out of Matt Nieto to date...and maybe they could teach him deflections and park him in front of the net to score on the PP. Become a garbage goal guy.

[FLPensFan]

[Badger Bob]

Looks like Dubas is looking under rocks these days to try and help the team out of the doldrums.

[Luckybreak]

If he can get past the hip issues, he could be a solid bottom 6 add. His defensive metrics were always very, very good. It is his finishing that is the issue.

On a team that needs to finish plays, he may not help unless they can develop that further. But, at the moment, I think he would be an upgrade over what we've seen out of Matt Nieto to date...and maybe they could teach him deflections and park him in front of the net to score on the PP. Become a garbage goal guy.

Love your optimism FLPF, but how many players become a net front presence after not having shown a prevalence for the role previously? I'm pretty certain it's more than a skill set, it's a mentality - a rare and undervalued one.

If he can keep up i agree that he might be a solid bottom 6, but I doubt this addition will add the missing ingredients to the PP.

[Tico Rick]

Can we give him a transfusion of Hornqvist DNA?

[Daniel]

Looks like Dubas is looking under rocks these days to try and help the team out of the doldrums.

Problem is he doesn't appear to see the biggest problem. Teflon Mike.

[pens_CT]

Looks like Dubas is looking under rocks these days to try and help the team out of the doldrums.

Problem is he doesn't appear to see the biggest problem. Teflon Mike.

Teflon Mike is a problem, but the bigger issue is a lack of talent on the bottom two forward lines. In addition to this being a perimeter team that refuses to go to the tough areas in the offensive zone. I doubt a new coach fixes these issues.

[pronovost19]

Maybe he has a cool dog for the Penguins pet calendar.

[Daniel]

Looks like Dubas is looking under rocks these days to try and help the team out of the doldrums.

Problem is he doesn't appear to see the biggest problem. Teflon Mike.

Teflon Mike is a problem, but the bigger issue is a lack of talent on the bottom two forward lines. In addition to this being a perimeter team that refuses to go to the tough areas in the offensive zone. I doubt a new coach fixes these issues.

Frankly the fact that the bottom six is still bad looks bad for Dubas if it’s talent and bad for Sullivan if it isn’t. I think it’s more Sullivan since he seems to preach a style of play that no longer fits the team. They need slower, defensive games over run and gun they tend to play.

[KG]

At this point they should sign Josh Bailey an Phill the Thrill to PTO's as well. What's the harm?

[pens_CT]

At this point they should sign Josh Bailey an Phill the Thrill to PTO's as well. What's the harm?

It's just the limitation on the number of contracts they can have. They're at 48 currently out of a maximum of 50 before they make a decision on Pool Party.

[dark_forces]

I look at this development as a way to potentially upgrade over Zohorna and push him, along with Nieto, Carter, etc. to compete for fewer lineup spots. At least, he should, injury flare ups aside, push his way onto the 4th line.

[Puck-Lurker]

Where's Beau Bennett? We could use a RW

[Maestro]

Does he know how to stand in front of a net?

If he can use that size and be their Quinton Byfield it will be a heck of a coup.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/ma ... vis-value/

[Puck-Lurker]

Does he know how to stand in front of a net?

If he can use that size and be their Quinton Byfield it will be a heck of a coup.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/ma ... vis-value/

I'm not sure he does. From what I've seen from Puljujärvi, he's one of those players that is really good the right metrics. Except scoring. And playing physical. He's pretty good at recovering pucks in the offensive end and works hard. Just don't expect him to score. If the dude can stay healthy, he can be an asset and a potential upgrade over half the forwards that played last game. He can also be a complete nothingburger and not amount to anything.

We're desperate though. Worth rolling the dice on almost anything.

[stonewizard51]

Let's say he gets a contract, how long before he goes on LTIR ?

[Puck-Lurker]

Let's say he gets a contract, how long before he goes on LTIR ?

Does it really matter? We're desperate for anything at this point. The only downside to a contract that I can see, would be that it takes up one of the two remaining contract slots.

[FLPensFan]

Let's say he gets a contract, how long before he goes on LTIR ?

Does it really matter? We're desperate for anything at this point. The only downside to a contract that I can see, would be that it takes up one of the two remaining contract slots.

I think the Pensburgh article was pretty spot on in terms of his style of play. He's a big guy who doesn't play big in the terms of "I'm going to hit, I'm going to fight, I'm going to be nasty to play against," however, he absolutely uses his size to his advantage to win board battles and keep defenders away from the puck.

I don't recall what all the scouts were saying about him then, but from one or two of the historical reports I see, Edmonton drafted him way too high. He might have been ok as a late 1st or early 2nd. Can't recall if that was a weak draft class or not.

Anyways, if he can recover from the surgery and not have any complications (swelling, infection, or worst case, breaking off the head of the femur), Puljujarvi may be able to carve out a role as a solid 3rd liner who can occasionally slide up into the top 6.

I think he would be an upgrade over guys like Nieto, Carter, and Nylander at this point. Right now, he might be pretty comparable to DOC, who plays well defensively and is strong on the forecheck, but isn't finishing his chances.

Puljujarvi did tell reporters yesterday he is not yet 100%. He felt good at practice but has a little ways to go yet. I imagine the Penguins want to see how he does over the next week, any setbacks he may have, and if he holds up and looks decent, he'll probably earn a league minimum two-way deal. They'll likely want to see him get in some AHL game action before considering playing him at the NHL level (or they could use a conditioning assignment).

Or in short, to summarize...best case scenario...very unlikely we see Puljujarvi suit up at the NHL level before 2024 at this point.