Last week, in one of my Take Four appearances for The Pitt News, I wrote that this is a make or break year for Jesse Puljujärvi.
I very much believe that. The 26-year-old is heading into his eighth NHL year, and in the second of a two year contract he signed with the Penguins last December, one he earned out of his professional tryout with the club last year.
Puljujärvi underwhelmed last season after he was called up in February, finishing with 3 goals and 1 assist in 22 games in Pittsburgh. It was far from the impact some hoped he would have on a struggling bottom six for the Penguins, especially considering he had solid numbers in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins during his AHL PTO.
However, he was still recovering from that double-hip surgery he had in the summer of 2023, something that incredibly few hockey players have successfully underwent and continued to play afterwards.
But now, after a full offseason recover, a true offseason if you will, comes the real test. Can we actually contribute at the NHL level?
Subscribe to continue reading
Become a paid subscriber to get access to the rest of this post and other exclusive content.
Fifth Avenue Sports 