Unexpected Player To Enter Free Agent Frenzy
We’re a week away from the free agent doors swinging open. One player to look out for: Jesse Puljujarvi.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 24, 2026
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.
Pagnotta adds that his hip issues, which derailed his NHL career, are a thing of the past for Puljujarvi. He posted 19 goals and 52 points in 52 games for Geneve in the Swiss A League this past season, with a plus/minus rating of +14.
The 6'4", 216-pound forward was expected to be a core piece for the Edmonton Oilers when they selected him with the 4th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. But chronic hip problems severely impacted his mobility and skating. He was forced to abandon his NHL dreams for the first time in 2020, when he headed back overseas to play for a couple of seasons.
He came back and gave it another try for a few years with the Oilers, but he eventually was forced to have double hip resurfacing surgery in 2023. After that, he bounced around for short stints in Carolina, Pittsburgh and Florida, before finally heading to Switzerland for last season.
Apparently healthy now, he joins a very weak free agent market, and it makes sense that teams are interested, given the paucity of legitimate scoring options out there.
The latest big name—the biggest that was still remaining, in fact—Alex Tuch, is now off the board, after a huge sign-and-trade deal today.
