Puljujarvi's agent suggests change of scenery may be beneficial

Jesse Puljujarvi's agent, Markus Lehto, spoke out Friday on the situation surrounding his client and the Edmonton Oilers, suggesting a change of scenery might be best for the struggling winger.

"I think it's hard to reset," Lehto told Sportsnet's Mark Spector. "It's like, when the player isn't trusting anymore ... 'Do these guys really want me here? Do they really trust me to be a top-six guy? A top-nine guy? An offensive player?' The player is uncertain.

"Are we reaching the point that for the team and for the player, it might be actually beneficial for going different paths, different routes?"

Lehto's comments come after TSN's Ryan Rishaug reported that the Oilers are open to trading Puljujarvi if a proper return can be found.

Puljujarvi was drafted fourth overall by the Oilers in 2016 with tremendous hype after he recorded 17 points in seven games while winning gold for Finland at the world juniors. His NHL career thus far hasn't yielded anything close to the same success; Puljujarvi's notched just nine points in 45 games this season entering Friday while averaging 12 minutes per contest.

He's had three different stints with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors since being drafted, most recently in November, when he recorded four points in four games.

Puljujarvi is currently playing out the final year of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent at season's end.