Edmonton Oilers Select Jesse Puljujärvi #4 Overall

by

With the fourth pick in the 2016 NHL Draft the Edmonton Oilers have selected Jesse Puljujärvi from Oulun Karpat of the Finnish Liiga.

About Jesse Puljujärvi

Jesse Puljujärvi is a right wing that showed NHL scouts his potential when he helped to lead Finland to the gold medal at the World Junior Championship. After three years playing for Oulun Karpat of the Liiga in Finland, Puljujärvi put his talents on display for the world as he scored 5 goals and 17 points in just 7 games to lead his country to the gold. During the tournament he captured the MVP, was named the tournament’s top forward and was part of the all-tournament team.  Puljujärvi is just 18 years-old but is already 6’4″, 203 lbs. He is a tremendous playmaker that has had the benefit of playing against adults over three seasons with Oulun Karpat.

How Puljujärvi Fits into the Edmonton Oilers’ Future

Puljujärvi will be added to an Oilers team that has a wealth of young talent based on a series of high picks in the first round over the last six years. Since 2010, the Oilers have selected first overall four times, landing Taylor Hall (2010), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), Nail Yakupov (2012) and Connor McDavid (2015). Despite picking third overall in 2014, the Oilers chose Leon Draisaitl, a German-born center with a world of talent. Connor McDavid is the cornerstone of the franchise but Puljujärvi will add to the supporting cast.

Despite the uncertainty of the future of Nugent-Hopkins and Hall with the Oilers, Puljujärvi adds size and strength to a team that is loaded with offensive talent but has not been able to find the missing pieces to put together team success. Scouts have projected Puljujärvi as a future two-way winger and fans will expect to see him playing alongside Connor McDavid at Rogers Place for many years to come.