It's Pool Party Time

[Pitts]

After years of asking "please," the Penguins fan base finally gets their wish! LOL

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[Maestro]

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

That doesn't seem to bode well for him. So likely he never does anything of note for the Penguins.

[Puck-Lurker]

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

That doesn't seem to bode well for him. So likely he never does anything of note for the Penguins.

Coin flip whether he returns to form. Those are good odds for the Pens these days.

(looks at .481 record)

[Bo_Pens]

What’s the latest news on the Jesse Puljujarvi tryout. No news anywhere.

[stonewizard51]

Still on a PTO last I heard.

[KG]

What’s the latest news on the Jesse Puljujarvi tryout. No news anywhere.

He's working off-ice with the staff last I heard a couple of days ago.

[Pitts]

I think he is weeks, if not months away yet. And I would not put much of any expectations on a player with hip replacement!

[FLPensFan]

I think he is weeks, if not months away yet. And I would not put much of any expectations on a player with hip replacement!

DOUBLE Hip replacement. The only thing he has going for him is his age, as most of the other players who have failed a comeback form this surgery have been over 30. From what I've read, a lot of swelling and inflammation are main complications.

I would expect maybe a meaningful update (moving forward with some type of contract or cutting him loose) maybe in mid-January.

[Maestro]

Likely to hear more after 12/27 when roster freeze ends.
Sounds like Pens prepared for a longer term project here.

[FLPensFan]

Puljujarvi didn't practice today, but Taylor said he does still have a stall in the locker room. Seems like a lot more mix off on ice and off ice practice for him.

[FLPensFan]

Per Taylor Haase and Dunas GM show today, sounds like Penguins plan to sign Puljujarvi to an AHL professional tryout so he can start getting in some AHL games. AHL tryout allows him to play up to 25 games with WBS.

After the 10 day PTO Puljujarvi was on expired, he was still on PTO but Penguins could no longer cover his expenses. Puljujarvi was paying his own way of late. Sounds like if things continue to progress Penguins are going to sign him.

[stonewizard51]

If he can still perform, that's not a bad thing.

[KG]

Per Taylor Haase and Dunas GM show today, sounds like Penguins plan to sign Puljujarvi to an AHL professional tryout so he can start getting in some AHL games. AHL tryout allows him to play up to 25 games with WBS.

After the 10 day PTO Puljujarvi was on expired, he was still on PTO but Penguins could no longer cover his expenses. Puljujarvi was paying his own way of late. Sounds like if things continue to progress Penguins are going to sign him.

Good. Hopefully he gets healthy and produces. Lord knows we could use a solid bottom 6 player with some skill.

[pens_CT]

Per Taylor Haase and Dunas GM show today, sounds like Penguins plan to sign Puljujarvi to an AHL professional tryout so he can start getting in some AHL games. AHL tryout allows him to play up to 25 games with WBS.

After the 10 day PTO Puljujarvi was on expired, he was still on PTO but Penguins could no longer cover his expenses. Puljujarvi was paying his own way of late. Sounds like if things continue to progress Penguins are going to sign him.

Good. Hopefully he gets healthy and produces. Lord knows we could use a solid bottom 6 player with some skill.

At this point they just want to see how his hips respond after playing in a game. I think we'll know pretty soon how this goes.

[pronovost19]

Because we all know, hips don’t lie.

[pronovost19]

And according to the worst announcer in history, Rust never sleeps.

[IntangibleBeer]

Because we all know, hips don’t lie.

Or as Huey Lewis would say "It's Hip to be Square".

I know, I know.

[Badger Bob]

Just easin' the tension.


BTW:

Former 4th overall NHL draft pick, Jesse Puljujarvi, is set to make a bid for an NHL comeback by signing a professional tryout (PTO) contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the PTO provides Puljujarvi with a low-risk opportunity to showcase his skills in the AHL. The ultimate goal is to earn a shot in the NHL again, then eventually a high-reward NHL contract.

So now he's off to WBS.

[Puck-Lurker]

Next step for Puljujarvi is a contract with the Flames and assignment to the Wranglers.

[DelPen]

I’m all for giving Puljujarvi an opportunity to earn a spot but he has to be better than Puustinen and Zohorna hopefully before he sees the ice over them. We have some wiggle room with the roster until Nieto is off LTIR in 6-8 weeks but what I don’t like is the potential that Puustinen is sent down because it’s the easiest move without exposing Zohorna and maybe even Harkins (not sure on his waiver exemption status since he’s been up a while).

Best case scenario is Puljujarvi regains his form and can be a contributor on the third line with Eller and DOC and Puustinen rounds out the 4th line giving it a lot more speed and scoring threat. It should be a virus after about 5 games in WBS if Puljujarvi will be able to skate.

[FLPensFan]

I’m all for giving Puljujarvi an opportunity to earn a spot but he has to be better than Puustinen and Zohorna hopefully before he sees the ice over them. We have some wiggle room with the roster until Nieto is off LTIR in 6-8 weeks but what I don’t like is the potential that Puustinen is sent down because it’s the easiest move without exposing Zohorna and maybe even Harkins (not sure on his waiver exemption status since he’s been up a while).

Best case scenario is Puljujarvi regains his form and can be a contributor on the third line with Eller and DOC and Puustinen rounds out the 4th line giving it a lot more speed and scoring threat. It should be a virus after about 5 games in WBS if Puljujarvi will be able to skate.

I am in favor of seeing Puljujarvi return to his Edmonton production, which was solid 3rd liner...but not at the expense of Puustinen. If you compare the games of Puljujarvi and Puustinen, I think the former's overall game and physical attributes lend itself to 4th line duty better. Puustinen is not a 4th liner in a Mike Sullivan system. I really don't think Puljujarvi is either.

It's a good problem to have...current bottom 6ers being pushed by younger, potentially slightly better bottom 6ers. If we can add Puljujarvi to the mix, I think Dubas just needs to add a solid 3rd/4th line center that give Sullivan more options. I don't think we are seeing the best of Acciari, and I do believe the main reason for that is he is forced to play center...which he can do, but he is more productive on the wing. I don't think Dubas is in a position to add a big name or top 6 help, but let's say we could pickup Dickinson and swap Reilly Smith for Frank Vatrano, and Puljujarvi comes in:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell
Vatrano-Malkin-Rust
Puustinen-Eller-Puljujarvi
DOC-Dickinson-Acciari

You can throw DOC up to the 3rd line if Puustinen stuggles, and insert Zohorna or Harkins in on that 4th line. I'm not as down on Carter that he MUST be removed from the lineup, but, I do think the fact that he's only playing RW now is hurting the performance of other players, namely Acciari.

[FLPensFan]

Puljujarvi played on thr top line yesterday for WBS in a 2-1 win. 3 shots, no points.

I wouldn't be surprised if WBS sits him for the middle game of their 3 game weekends. Wouldn't expect him to play 3 games in 3 days right off the bat.

[KG]

Puljujarvi played on thr top line yesterday for WBS in a 2-1 win. 3 shots, no points.

I wouldn't be surprised if WBS sits him for the middle game of their 3 game weekends. Wouldn't expect him to play 3 games in 3 days right off the bat.

If the Pens sign Puljujarvi would he then have to go through waivers? Would be a bit of a D move by another GM if he looks healthy and ready to go, the Pens sign him and then lose him to waivers.

[FLPensFan]

Puljujarvi played on thr top line yesterday for WBS in a 2-1 win. 3 shots, no points.

I wouldn't be surprised if WBS sits him for the middle game of their 3 game weekends. Wouldn't expect him to play 3 games in 3 days right off the bat.

If the Pens sign Puljujarvi would he then have to go through waivers? Would be a bit of a D move by another GM if he looks healthy and ready to go, the Pens sign him and then lose him to waivers.

From what I have seen...no. I thought that he would (I talked about this when I thought we were going to sign Pysyk), but, this might be something that changed years ago (likely the same time they got rid of re-entry waivers). If we do sign him and call him up, no waivers...but he would need waivers if we wanted to send him back down to WBS.

[KG]

Puljujarvi played on thr top line yesterday for WBS in a 2-1 win. 3 shots, no points.

I wouldn't be surprised if WBS sits him for the middle game of their 3 game weekends. Wouldn't expect him to play 3 games in 3 days right off the bat.

If the Pens sign Puljujarvi would he then have to go through waivers? Would be a bit of a D move by another GM if he looks healthy and ready to go, the Pens sign him and then lose him to waivers.

From what I have seen...no. I thought that he would (I talked about this when I thought we were going to sign Pysyk), but, this might be something that changed years ago (likely the same time they got rid of re-entry waivers). If we do sign him and call him up, no waivers...but he would need waivers if we wanted to send him back down to WBS.