One of the NHL’s best prospect a healthy scratch once again at WHC

Top Draft Pick a Healthy Scratch Once Again at WHC

The 2016 draft was full of surprises, except for the first two selections. When Jarmo Kekalainen stepped on the stage, everybody in the room expected him to draft his fellow Finnish Jesse Puljujarvi. “From the Cap-Breton Screaming Eagles, Pierre-Luc Dubois” left a huge silence in the building before a round of applause. 

Going back to the 2016 IIHF World Juniors Championship, Puljujarvi and Laine were neck to neck and it was all a question of preferences. As the season came along, Patrick Laine established himself as the better of the two finnish players and narrowed down the gap between him and Matthews. 

Still, with the 4th selection overall, the Edmonton Oilers were delighted to draft Jesse Puljujarvi. He even scored his first goal on his very first game, a promising start for the big-bodied forward. Since then, Jesse hasn’t scored a single goal in 19 games, notching 6 assists during that goal drought.

However, Jesse Puljujarvi was loan to the Finish team at the WHC but once again he was a healthy scratch for Finland yesterday at the WHC. Not the place a 4th pick overall should be...