Oilers ship Puljujarvi to Hurricanes

The Edmonton Oilers traded forward Jesse Puljujarvi to the Carolina Hurricanes for prospect Patrik Puistola on Tuesday.

Puljujarvi has five goals and 14 points in 58 games this season. The 24-year-old tallied a career-high 14 goals and 36 points in 2021-22.

The Oilers aren't retaining any of Puljujarvi's $3-million cap hit, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. He's an impending restricted free agent.

Puljujarvi had a tumultuous tenure in Edmonton. After being drafted fourth overall in 2016, the 6-foot-4 winger failed to make an impact in his first three seasons.

The Finnish international returned home in 2019, playing a season and a half in Liiga before coming back to the NHL in 2021. He looked to have found another level upon his return, tallying 29 goals and 61 points in 120 games across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns.

Puljujarvi's scoring regressed this season, and he was made a healthy scratch at times. The trade frees up $3 million in cap space for the Oilers.

"Jesse possesses a great blend of size and skill, and he will add to the depth of our forward group," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. "He has familiarity with some of our other Finnish players, and we see him as a great fit for our team and locker room."

Puljujarvi will be reunited with Sebastian Aho, his linemate at the 2016 World Junior Championships, in Carolina. The duo formed a potent combination with Patrik Laine at the tournament en route to the gold medal. Puljujarvi led the event in scoring with 17 points and took home tournament MVP.

Puistola was drafted in the third round in 2019 by the Hurricanes. The 22-year-old winger has had a breakout campaign in Finland, scoring 15 goals and 38 points in 56 games. His exclusive rights are set to expire on June 1, which would make him an unrestricted free agent if Edmonton doesn't sign him to an entry-level contract.