Jesse Puljujärvi has officially signed a one-year deal with his hometown team of Oulun Kärpät of the Finnish Elite League. The deal includes an option to the NHL, which closes December 1st, the deadline for RFAs to sign a new deal to be eligible to play in the National Hockey League in the current season. There's no word on what the contract is worth, but it's a safe assumption that it's for much less than he would make playing in Edmonton.
Puljujärvi, 21, has demanded a trade from Edmonton, the team that drafted him fourth overall in 2016. The restricted free agent says he needs a fresh start in the NHL in order to get his career back on track. Since joining the NHL, Puljujärvi has been used sparingly in Edmonton, spending a lot of time as either a healthy scratch or with the Oilers' AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. In 139 NHL games, Puljujärvi has 17 goals and 37 points.
Getting a decent return for Puljujärvi could prove to be a difficult task for Edmonton. Besides his tepid offensive numbers, other GMs are not likely to look at his trade demand favourably. There are also reports that Puljujärvi's lack of knowledge of the English language has made it difficult to for him to follow coaching instructions, leading to him often messing up on-ice assignments.
This isn't Puljujärvi's first stint with Kärpät. He suited up for the team in 50 games in the 2015-2016 season, before he was drafted by the Oilers.
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