The crazy reason the Oilers signed Jokinen

The veteran forward has a unique tie to the team that led to his signing.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
The crazy reason the Oilers signed Jokinen
Keystone Press

When the Edmonton Oilers announced that they had signed veteran forward Jussi Jokinen to a one-year, $1.1 million contract reaction ranged from mildly interesting to just interesting. As good as a pick up as Jokinen may be, he’s not exactly a game changer and isn't really considered a prize acquisition. He was bought out of his previous contract, after all. 

More interesting however, is the reasoning behind the 34 year-old Finn’s signing with the Oilers. You may recall that the team has another Finn looking to make an impact in 2017-18: former 4th overall draft pick Jesse Puljujarvi. The 19 year-old split last season between the Oilers and the team’s AHL affiliate in Bakersfield and is expected to make the jump to full-time NHLer next season with the help of fellow countrymen Jokinen. But, the pair’s relationship goes beyond a shared nationality.

It was in his native Finland where Puljarvi first drew the eyes of NHL scouts while starring for Karpat, a powerhouse team in the Finnish Liiga. The owner of Karpat? None other than Jussi Jokinen. Well… part owner, at least. And it was through this owner/employee relationship that the two first got acquainted. Now, with Jokinen in the Oilers fold for 2017-18, he’ll be tasked with mentoring his former employee and showing him how to navigate the NHL as a young Finn just arriving in North America for the first time.

There’s no telling yet whether Puljujarvi and Jokinen will suit up on a line for next season, but if it happens and they manage to generate some chemistry, it could make for a dynamic teacher/student duo. 


Source: Jim Matheson