I would like to say sometimes this team drives me crazy but that wouldn't be fair... this team constantly drives me up the wall, yet deep down I still love to write and talk about it, while having (mostly) pleasant conversations with it's fanbase. This love yet stressful relationship is what I assume it is like having kids.
The most recent news to come out of my toddler involves some new revelations from the Puljujarvi camp.
Ironically this comes a day after my last blog post, where I discussed the bizarre way the Oilers have handled Jesse Puljujarvi. They burned a year of his ELC needlessly when he clearly did not perform well after his first 9 games, the proceeded to burn a year of his UFA status by leaving him with the team for more than 40 games.
He spent most of last season with the team, producing an alright 28 points in 65 games, but the wheels really blew out on his development this season.
Coincidentally, the Oilers have had Jesse Puljujarvi bouncing around everywhere... just like a toddler. He went from starting on the third line, to going to the fourth, to the AHL, back to the NHL, to playing less than 10 minutes a night, to now having discussions with his agent.
If I was Puljujarvi's agent I would be mad too. The team clearly has no set plan for his development, which will end up hurting both the player as well as the kind of money he could make in the future.
It's likely all of this is going to culminate with Jesse Puljujarvi being traded, and as it stands I can't imagine it is a trade the Oilers fans are going to like... something most have grown used to. Puljujarvi is at his lowest possible value right now, leaving the door wide open for another team to buy low. Hopefully his next team will come up with a plan for the young kid, execute it and give him an honest chance.
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LINEUPS
OILERS
Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian
Khaira-RNH-
Puljujarvi?
Lucic-Malone-Chiasson
Rieder-Cave-Brodziak,
Puljujarvi?
Puljujarvi?
Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Russell
Manning-Gravel
Koskinen
Puljujarvi?
- Despite losing, the Oilers played an overall strong game against the Penguins and we will see the same lineup tonight. Puljujarvi will play....somewhere in the lineup.
HURRICANES
Niederreiter-Aho-Williams
Ferland-Wallmark-Terevainen
Svechnikov-Martinook-McGinn
Foegele-McKegg-Maenalanen
Slavin-Hamilton
Pesce-Faulk
De Haan-Van Riemsdyk
Mrazek
4 KEYS TO VICTORY
1) Tracking Terevainen. Teuvo Terevainen has gone on a bit of a goal tear in his last 5 games. After scoring only 12 goals through the first 52 games of the season, he has scored 5 in his last 5 games.
2) Shots. The Oilers top 3 offensive producers are better than the Hurricanes, but one area the Hurricanes do excel in is their shot output. The Oilers top 5 shots producers, McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Nurse, Klefbom have produced a total of 709 shots. It also says something that even after missing more than 20 games Klefbom is still in the top 5. The Hurricanes top shooters combine for 810. Regardless of the score we will likely see the Hurricanes outshoot the Oilers.
3) One Bad Goal. That was all it took for the Oilers to lose against the Pittsburgh Penguin. The wrap-around goal that Koskinen allowed was one he absolutely would want back. He finished the night with a .939 SV% but that bad goal was still the narrative of the game. Koskinen will be back in net tonight. Goals are going to get scored on him, but he can't continuously allow ones like that.
4) Tune Out The Noise. The writing is on the wall for the Oilers. Their playoff hopes dwindle by the day and everyone in that room knows it. The media is going to ask them about it, and guys like me are going to write about it. Easier said than done but this team needs to take one game at a time, tune out all the background issues and focus on the game in front of them.
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