Jesse Puljujärvi
A physically imposing Finnish winger whose promising NHL career was persistently challenged by injuries, leading him to find success in Europe.
Born 1998 (age 28)·Finnish ice hockey player·Birthday: May 7·Generation Z
Biography
Jesse Puljujärvi arrived in the hockey world with the weight of great expectation. Drafted fourth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2016, the 'Big Finn' possessed a rare combination of size, skill, and skating that made him a standout at the World Juniors, where he was named tournament MVP. His transition to the NHL, however, proved difficult. Struggles with consistency, confidence, and a series of hip injuries hampered his ability to secure a permanent top-six role in Edmonton. After several seasons of fluctuating between the NHL and the minors, he returned to Finland for surgery and rehabilitation. A subsequent return to the Oilers showed flashes of his potential, but ultimately he sought a fresh start. He found it in Switzerland's National League with Genève-Servette HC, where his game stabilized, and he contributed to a championship-winning team, rewriting his narrative on his own terms.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Jesse was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jesse Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Jesse's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Swiss National League championship with Genève-Servette HC in 2023.
- Named Most Valuable Player of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship after leading Finland to gold.
- Selected 4th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
- Won a gold medal with Finland at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
Did You Know?
His surname, Puljujärvi, translates to 'Lake Pool' in English.
He and fellow Finn Patrik Laine were drafted back-to-back (3rd and 4th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft.
He is an avid fan of rally racing.
He missed significant time early in his career due to double hip surgery.
“I play a simple game: get the puck and go to the net.”
