Pittsburgh Penguins take unexpected turn with Jesse Puljujarvi

After clearing waivers, the natural assumption was that Puljujarvi would report to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but things have taken an unexpected twist.

Just yesterday, Jesse was spotted taking reps at practice in his usual spot.

While Sullivan's intentions with Puljujarvi remain unclear, it seems like he may have another shot to prove himself at the NHL level.

According to Liam McCormick of Oilers Daily, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan explained the decision to waive Puljujarvi as being fair to the player, which may allude to him getting more ice time on another team or in the AHL - so when he showed up to Penguins practice today, it was a strange sight.

Now with Jesse Puljujarvi back practicing with the team, it's unclear what Mike Sullivan's plans are moving forward, but Puljujarvi fans remain hopeful that another stint in the Pens bottom 6 is on the horizon.

According to Puckpedia, Jesse Puljujarvi is signed to a 2 year, $1,600,000 contract with a cap hit of $800,000 per season. His contract was signed on February 4, 2024, and expires at the end of the 2024-25 season, when Puljujarvi will be 27 years old.

Unfortunately for Puljujarvi, the fact that another team won't take a risk on him with a mere $800k cap hit is a direct reflection to where he's at in his NHL career.