Edmonton Oilers trade forward Jesse Puljujärvi to Carolina Hurricanes

Dealing embattled right-winger Jesse Puljujärvi is simply step one for the Edmonton Oilers, says general manager Ken Holland.

The team traded Puljujärvi, 24, to the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday for Finnish forward prospect Patrik Puistola.

It’s a move that frees up cap space for the Oilers (32-21-8), who are looking to improve their defence ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline, Holland said.

“There’s a few players out there that we think would fit,” the GM told reporters Tuesday. “Today, I’m hoping, was step one. We’ve got to move money. … I hope there’s other steps to come.”

Puljujärvi, 24, has four goals and nine assists in 58 games for Edmonton this season.

“Jesse possesses a great blend of size and skill, and he will add to the depth of our forward group,” Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. “He has familiarity with some of our other Finnish players, and we see him as a great fit for our team and locker room.”

Picked fourth overall by the Oilers in the 2016 NHL entry draft, the six-foot-four, 201-pound forward has struggled at times, amassing 51 goals and 61 assists in 317 regular-season games.

He spent three seasons in Edmonton before returning to his native Finland to play parts of two seasons in the Finnish Elite League. Puljujärvi returned to the Oilers in October 2020 and signed a one-year contract worth US$3 million in July.

Holland said he spoke with Puljujärvi and his agent a couple of weeks ago and pitched them on having the Finn return to Edmonton on a one or two-year deal with an average annual value of about $1 million. Puljujärvi said he wanted “a fresh start instead,” the GM said.

Puljujärvi has worked hard to be the best player he could possibly be in Edmonton, Holland added.

“He went back to Finland, he’s worked hard at his English, I think he’s got more physical,” he said.

“And I think in the time that I’ve been here and the coaching staff, I think we’ve tried to be as patient with him, given him as much opportunity as we possibly could. But unfortunately, we’re at this day to day and we’ve got to move forward.”

Puistola, 22, has yet to make his NHL debut after being selected by Carolina in the third round of the 2019 draft.

The six-foot, 175-pound forward from Tampere, Finland has 15 goals and 23 assists in Finland’s Liiga this season.

The Oilers’ Finnish scout will keep an eye on Puistola, Holland said, but Tuesday’s trade was more about subtracting dollars than adding a prospect.

Edmonton would like to make further moves ahead of Friday’s deadline, the GM said, and is open to moving a first-round pick in order to do so.

The NHL’s tight salary cap has limited the options though, he said.

“The reality is every team in the National Hockey League is dealing with the same challenges that we’re dealing with,” Holland said. “It’s a level playing field.”

The Oilers are set to host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2023.