A lot has happened since Jesse Puljujärvi played the last time in a lion shirt at the World Cup ice. It’s been seven years to be exact.
Even though there are difficult times behind, the twinkle hasn’t disappeared from the corner of Puljujärvi’s, 26, eye – and the smile from the corner of his mouth.
“A lot has changed in seven years. This is where we slowly start to be adults,” says Puljujärvi.
“We’ve been in the NHL, we’ve been in the SM league, there’s been surgeries and all kinds of things. Yes, it has come a long way. But now we’re here again.”
Here i.e. Puljujärvi seems to be at home in the Lions’ prestigious competition team. On Wednesday, Tornio’s bull galloped like a wild colt in the practice arena of Prague’s O2 arena.
After the exercises, in front of the media, the man exuded a certain kind of happiness. The same has often not been possible to say in North America in recent years. Even a black eye from a bat hit in Saturday’s Switzerland game didn’t dampen the enthusiasm.
“Now let’s print with a black eye!”
Puljujärvi enters the World Championships with a black eye.
Among other things, Puljujärvi was enthusiastic about last week’s tournament in Brno, where he found a hill “from which you could see the whole city” during his morning walk.
“Even the food here in the Czech Republic is cheap!”
“Although I’m not a badass.”
Even though Puljujärvi came to the Lions’ trip from the NHL, he was not promised a direct match place. However, he provided the necessary screens for stamping the race pass.
“Of course, it feels good that I was able to participate in this. It’s nice to be part of this gang. I’m having fun. They color it very carefully all the time.”
There is a lot of new blood in the Lions’ World Cup team this time. Konsta Helenius17, Oliver Kapanen20, Arttu Hyry23, and Patrik Puistola23, represent the team’s youngest guard.
Puljujärvi enjoys the company of new acquaintances.
“These juniors are fun to listen to. From there comes a new story. The best colors come with them.”
“But I was there in Brno Olli Määtä as a roommate. All kinds of new things came with it.”
Puljujärvi’s bad friend at the WC Prague is Ahti Oksanen.
“He’s a smart guy,” Puljujärvi points out.
Puljujärvi trained in the second chain of the Lions as Jere Innala and Oliver Kapanen’s chain mate.
To Puljujärvi it was also nice Valtteri Puustisen arrival at the World Cup. The cheeky duo became friends during the NHL season in Pittsburgh.
“Yes, we had fun! We immediately became good friends.”
“That way, we can talk about life,” says Puljujärvi.
As the captain of nearly 400 NHL games, Puljujärvi has also taken the Kuopio native, who is a year younger than him, under his wing. Puljujärvi has taught Puustisen the secrets of the English language.
“Yes, it has turned that way now. Pronunciation still needs to be taught a little. Some words come out of there, but no one understands,” Puljujärvi sculpts.
“No, my English has never been as bad as it used to be. Now it’s improved a bit after I’ve been in North America for a year or so.”
Valtteri Puustis has become a good friend of Puljujärvi.
To Puljujärvi this season has been challenging. After last summer’s double hip surgery, he was only able to start the season in January.
Pittsburgh’s NHL team managed to accumulate only 22 matches (3+1).
After the huge hip operation, it wasn’t even clear if Puljujärvi would even be able to play at the NHL level anymore.
“That spring I was able to play some really good games, but I still fluctuated a little too much. Now, little by little, we’re getting the best out of it.”
In the NHL, Puljujärvi’s player profile has changed dramatically since the early stages of his career. Today, he is known as a conscientious shredder of bottom chains, a player who destroys rather than creates.
However, there seems to be a different role available in Leijoni. The head coach Jukka Jalonen has given Puljujärvi a role in the profit chain. In Wednesday’s practice, he cooled down on the edge of the second chain Jere Innalan and Oliver Kapanen alongside.
Leijonat was fine-tuning patterns on Wednesday in the training hall of the O2-arena. The World Cup tournament starts on Friday evening in a match against the host country Czech Republic.
In the second overtime five, Puljujärvi practiced as a striker on the “left wing”.
“I try to play to my strengths. Of course, now I get to be on the puck a little more, but I try to play with good confidence, create a lot of chances and be strong. After all, it has sometimes been played in these roles as well.”
So what can be expected from Puljujärvi in the tournament starting on Friday? He doesn’t really know that himself.
“I’ve been thinking from the point of view of trying to bring my best every day with a heavy workload. When I can bring it, I believe it will help the team a lot”, Puljujärvi reflects.
Puljujärvi got a nice confidence boost in the previous match on Sunday. He decided the victory against Sweden with a skillful penalty goal. From the reactions seen in the TV pictures, it became clear how Jalonenk was shocked by Puljujärvi’s deception.
“I have to admit, it felt good. When those tough guys haven’t been shot a lot.”
“We were coloring in the booth with the boys when I start explaining why I did it. But that’s okay. I put the puck in the goal”, explains Puljujärvi.
The recipe is also the same on Friday night in Prague’s Hornankattle against the host country Czech Republic.
The opening game of the Finnish World Cup on Friday at 21:20. Against the host country Czech Republic. MTV3, MTV Katsomo, V Sport and Viaplay will show the match.