Puljujarvi is a hurricane

[Brewin Flames]

Puljujarvi traded to Hurricanes by Oilers

Edmonton receives prospect Puistola for forward

NHL.com @NHLdotcom

 February 28, 2023

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Jesse Puljujarvi was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes by the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday for forward prospect Patrik Puistola.

 

"I hope this is going to be good for me," Puljujarvi said. "I'm going to work really, really hard to do everything right and be the best player that I can be and help the team in Carolina. Hopefully, everything goes well and I will work hard every day." 

 

Puljujarvi signed a one-year contract with the Oilers on July 26, 2022, and can become a restricted free agent after the season.

 

The 24-year-old forward has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 58 games this season.

 

The Hurricanes (39-11-8) are first in the Metropolitan Division, three points ahead of the New Jersey Devils.

 

"Jesse possesses a great blend of size (6-foot-4, 201 pounds) and skill, and he will add to the depth of our forward group," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. "He has familiarity with some of our other Finnish players (Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Antti Raanta), and we see him as a great fit for our team and locker room."

 

 

 

Selected by the Oilers in the first round (No. 4) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Puljujarvi has 112 points (51 goals, 61 assists) in 112 regular-season games and five points (three goals, two assists) in 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

 

"I'm really good friends with Aho," Puljujarvi said. "We have played many years at the juniors and been friends for the last 10 years and working with same group in the summer. So, it's really fun to get to play in NHL on the same team. I'm looking forward (to it)."

 

Puistola, a third-round pick (No. 73) in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Hurricanes, has not played in the NHL. The 22-year-old has 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 56 games for Jukurit in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland.

 

The Oilers (32-21-8) are third in the Pacific Division, four points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights.

 

"What I'm trying to do is clear some [salary] cap space to try and do something between now and Friday (NHL Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. ET)," Oilers general manager Ken Holland said. "Certainly trying to move $3 million for a guy that has five goals and played six minutes last night was tough.

 

But Carolina has a lot of cap space and I've had chats with Don Waddell even when Jesse was over in Finland, my first year here as a manager (2019-20), so there has been some interest from Carolina going way back. It probably worked out well for Don Waddell in Carolina, good for us and good for Jesse."