- David Pagnotta says Jesse Puljujarvi is drawing NHL interest with free agency a week away
- The former No. 4 pick put up 52 points in 52 games in the Swiss League this season
- Read below for the full breakdown on his comeback bid and his hip health
Jesse Puljujarvi might not be done with the NHL after all.
The 28-year-old winger is drawing interest from forward-needy teams with the free agent market a week from opening, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. After two years bouncing between the minors and Europe, the former fourth-overall pick has teams looking his way again.
Pagnotta laid out the situation on Wednesday:
“We’re a week away from the free agent doors swinging open. One player to look out for: Jesse Puljujarvi,” Pagnotta wrote. “He had a monster season in the Swiss League. His hip issues are a thing of the past, I’m told, and there’s already lots interest from several teams eyeing a mid-six upgrade.”
That Swiss season is the reason teams are paying attention. Puljujarvi piled up 52 points in 52 games for Geneve-Servette, finishing second on the team in scoring. He added four goals and nine points in 10 games for Finland at the World Championship.
Check out one of his game-winners from the Swiss season:
Health is the other piece of this. Puljujarvi had hip resurfacing surgery back in June 2023, and Pagnotta says those problems are firmly behind him three years later.
Edmonton took him fourth overall in 2016, and he hit a career-high 36 points in 65 games during the 2021-22 season. A trade to Carolina in February 2023, followed by the hip injury, knocked him off that path.
His last NHL stint didn’t go well. Puljujarvi split the 2024-25 season between Pittsburgh and Florida and managed just four goals and 10 points in 31 games before signing in Switzerland. With teams already wheeling and dealing this offseason, a healthy 28-year-old winger who can score is the kind of low-risk bet a contender makes in July.
