Jesse Puljujärvi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jesse Puljujärvi
Puljujärvi with Finland in 2016
Born	(1998-05-07) 7 May 1998 (age 27) Älvkarleby, Sweden
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams	Pittsburgh Penguins WBS Penguins (AHL) Oulun Kärpät Edmonton Oilers Carolina Hurricanes
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	4th overall, 2016 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	2014–present

Jesse Puljujärvi (born 7 May 1998) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. He plays as a right wing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League (AHL). He is also signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Jesse was seen as a top young talent early in his career. The Edmonton Oilers picked him fourth overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

He played his junior years in Tornio and Oulu, Finland. Jesse became a professional player in 2014. He signed with Oulun Kärpät in the Finnish league. Since 2016, he has played in the NHL. He mostly played for the Oilers and briefly for the Carolina Hurricanes. Even though Jesse was born in Sweden, he plays for Finland in international games.

Jesse's Hockey Journey

Early Years in Hockey

Jesse Puljujärvi was born in Älvkarleby, Sweden, on May 7, 1998. When he was four, his family moved to Tornio, Finland. There, he started playing ice hockey and bandy.

In 2011, Jesse played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He was part of the Finland Selects youth team. At 13, Jesse moved to Oulu by himself. He joined the local hockey club, Kärpät.

During the 2011–12 season, he scored 15 goals and 41 points. This was for the U16 junior team. The next season, Jesse moved up to the U18 juniors. He scored 51 points. This earned him the Heino Pulli award. This award is for the best U18 rookie. Jesse also helped the U16 team win the Finnish Championship.

In the 2013–14 season, Jesse mostly played for Kärpät's U20 juniors. He broke his leg, which kept him out for two months. But at only 15, he became a key player. He scored 23 points in 18 games. In the 2014 playoffs, he scored seven goals in 12 games. Kärpät won the U20 junior championship silver medal that season.

Becoming a Professional Player

Playing for Oulun Kärpät (2014–2016)

In May 2014, Jesse signed a three-year contract with Kärpät. This was for the SM-liiga, Finland's top league. He played his first professional game on September 5 against Germany's Kölner Haie. It was a Champions Hockey League match. Jesse even scored in the shootout!

He made his SM-liiga debut on September 10, 2014. He was only 16 years old. Jesse became the youngest player in Kärpät's history. He also got an assist, becoming the youngest Kärpät player to score a point. He scored his first goal on September 17. He was the youngest scorer in Kärpät's history.

In his first season, Jesse scored four goals and 11 points. His team won the Finnish Championship. He also played for Kajaanin Hokki and won a bronze medal.

In the 2015–16 season, Jesse scored 13 goals and 28 points. Kärpät won the SM-liiga bronze medal. They also won silver in the Champions Hockey League.

In 2016, NHL scouts ranked Jesse very high. He was third behind Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine. The Edmonton Oilers picked him fourth in the draft. He signed a three-year contract with them.

Time with the Edmonton Oilers (2016–2019)

Jesse signed his first NHL contract with the Oilers in July 2016. He chose to wear jersey number 98. He was the first NHL player to wear that number since 1985.

In May 2016, Jesse won the President's trophy. This award is for making a big impact on Finnish ice hockey.

Jesse made the Oilers' NHL team in the fall of 2016. He played his first NHL game on October 12, 2016. He even scored his first NHL goal in that game! He played 28 games, scoring one goal and eight points. In January 2017, the Oilers sent him to their AHL team, the Bakersfield Condors. He scored 12 goals and 28 points in 39 games there.

The Oilers sent Jesse to the AHL again in 2017. He came back to the NHL in November. He played 65 games that season, scoring 12 goals and 20 points. In January 2018, the team even hired an English teacher for him. On January 20, 2018, Jesse had a great game. He scored one goal and two assists against the Vancouver Canucks. This was his best game yet.

In November 2018, Jesse was sent to the AHL again. After four games, he returned to the NHL. He played 46 games in the 2018–19 season. He scored four goals and nine assists. His season ended early in February 2019 due to a hip injury.

Back to Kärpät (2019–2020)

For the 2019–2020 season, Jesse returned to Oulun Kärpät. He signed a one-year contract. He played very well, leading the team in points and goals. He was one of the top scorers in the whole SM-liiga. The season ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2020, he signed another contract with Kärpät. For the 2020–2021 season, he was named an alternate captain.

Return to the Oilers (2020–2023)

In October 2020, Jesse signed a two-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers. He played 16 games for Kärpät, scoring 12 points. Then, the Oilers called him back to their team in December.

After the 2021–22 season, Jesse signed a new one-year contract with the Oilers.

Playing for Carolina Hurricanes (2023)

In February 2023, the Oilers traded Jesse to the Carolina Hurricanes. He played 17 games for Carolina and scored two points.

Joining the Pittsburgh Penguins (2023-Present)

For the 2023–24 season, Jesse signed a tryout contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He didn't make the main team right away. So, he signed a tryout with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, their AHL team. Jesse played his first game with the WBS Penguins on January 5, 2024.

After playing well and scoring nine points in 13 games, Jesse signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He made his debut with the NHL's Penguins on February 6, 2024.

Later in 2024, Jesse was sent back to the AHL. He rejoined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Playing for His Country

Medal record
Representing  Finland
ice hockey
World Junior Championship
Gold	2016 Finland
IIHF World U18 Championship
Silver	2015 Switzerland
Gold	2016 United States

Jesse has played for Finland in many international tournaments. He helped Finland win a silver medal at the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships.

In 2016, Jesse played for Finland at the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. They won the gold medal! In seven games, he scored 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points. This put him second all-time for an under-18 player. He was named the Best Forward and Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Later that year, Jesse won another gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World U18 Championships. He became the first European player to win both U20 and U18 gold medals in the same year. That's a huge achievement!

How Jesse Plays Hockey

Experts have studied Jesse's playing style. Early on, his biggest challenge was carrying the puck. He sometimes took big risks trying to get past opponents.

When he played in Finland, Jesse was very good at offense. When he was on the ice, his team often had more chances to score. He also tried to keep the puck as long as possible.

When Jesse played in the AHL, he learned to change his style. This helped him play better on the smaller North American rinks. He started getting into better positions to score goals. One expert noted Jesse's great play in the middle of the ice. He was very effective at getting the puck and scoring from those plays.

Some experts have compared Jesse to famous players like Blake Wheeler and Jarome Iginla. Jesse himself has said his style is similar to Evgeni Malkin.

About Jesse's Life

Jesse Puljujärvi was born in Sweden to Finnish parents. He lived there until he was four years old. He feels Finnish and doesn't speak Swedish. However, he is a citizen of both Finland and Sweden.

In his free time, Jesse enjoys playing ice hockey with kids in his neighborhood. While he was in Edmonton, he got a fun nickname: The Bison King. This happened after he posted a picture online. In the photo, he was giving a thumbs-up with a bison behind him!

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Career statistics from Elite Prospects.

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2014	Finland	IH18	5th		4	3	2	5	4
2015	Finland	U18			7	2	5	7	4
2015	Finland	WJC	7th		5	0	0	0	0
2016	Finland	U18			4	5	2	7	2
2016	Finland	WJC			7	5	12	17	0
2017	Finland	WC	4th		8	0	0	0	4
2024	Finland	WC	8th		8	3	2	5	4
Junior totals					27	15	21	36	10
Senior totals					16	3	2	5	8

Awards and Honors