Over the first two days of training camp, things didn’t look all that promising for Penguins’ forward Jesse Puljujarvi.
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And this wasn’t necessarily the fault of Puljujarvi as much as it was about the competition surrounding him in camp. Given the Penguins’ logjam of forwards – there are six to eight bottom-six spots for more than a dozen forwards who are, realistically, vying for those spots – it was going to be hard for anyone to make the final roster without making themselves stand out in a big way.
Well, Puljujarvi certainly did that on Friday and Saturday.
After scoring two goals in the Team 1 v. Team 2 scrimmage on Friday, the Finn netted a hat trick in the Penguins’ first preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. The Penguins lost the game, 7-3, so Puljujarvi literally provided all of the team’s offense.
But it wasn’t just the offense that distinguished him in that game. Prior to puck drop, head coach Mike Sullivan praised Puljujarvi’s effort to come back to camp stronger after his double-hip surgery during the summer of 2023 kept him out for a large part of last season.
And in the game, Puljujarvi used that strength to be engaged physically and relentless on the forecheck.
“He scored three goals, but I thought he did a lot of other things,” Sullivan said. “Just puck battles and leaning on people, he was pretty good on the forecheck. I thought he was strong on the puck all night.”
On Saturday morning, Sullivan also alluded to the “competitive spirit” that he expects out of all his players: playing high-energy, pushing through tiredness, and displaying a will and determination to win. It’s something that might set apart certain players at camp.
Puljujarvi is well-aware of the competition at training camp this season, too.
“It’s gonna be really tough to get in that NHL lineup here. So many good players,” Puljujarvi said. “I think those little things have to be really good and you have to be really disciplined all the time. And that’s how you earn a spot.”
A journeyman of sorts, Puljujarvi was selected fourth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2016. He spent parts of six seasons there – much of them hampered by injuries – before being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes at the 2023 trade deadline.
Well into the recovery from his double-hip surgery, Puljujarvi signed a PTO with the Penguins in January 2024 before earning a two-year deal in February. And he’s glad he found his way to the Penguins’ organization.
“It’s a great organization,” he said. “They know how to win here. It’s really nice to be around the big guys here and be a part of that. And I hope that I can be a part of that long-term.”
If he continues what he’s done in training camp up to this point, he just might be.
