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Perfect opportunity for the Rangers: Former top-five pick lands on waivers from the Penguins

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Joshua Deeds
December 30, 2024 (9:16 PM)

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In order for the Rangers to re-tool the lineup, they'll have to make hard decisions, and load up on talent some teams aren't willing to take. Even redemption projects and one of those players just landed on waivers. GM Chris Drury could claim Jesse Puljujarvi.

Jesse Puljujarvi was placed on waivers by GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins today.

He was unable to crack the Penguins lineup and was scratched out of the lineup multiple times recently. Puljujarvi hadn't suited up for the Penguins since December 7th.

This season the depth forward has only scored 8 points(3 G, 5 A) in 21 games for the Penguins, and hasn't been a factor in the team's lineup.

Could GM Chris Drury claim him and give him a bottom-six role in the Rangers lineup? At the moment, the Rangers could do a lot worse, considering the lack of production across the board.

Selected by the Edmonton Oilers fourth overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, the Finnish forward has yet to live up to his billing. His best season came in 2021-22 with the Oilers when he had 14 goals and 22 assists in 65 games while putting up a +22 plus-minus.

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Puljujarvi is in year 2 of his $1.6 Million deal, which pays $800K AAV. As it seems, the Penguins aren't afraid of losing him to a waiver claim, the Rangers could easily fit him under the team's salary cap.

The Rangers have $8.9 Million and could easily claim him and assign him to Hartford in order to develop him and give him a chance to earn a spot in the lineup as a recall.

Should he clear waivers by 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the team will be able to re-assign him to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
This move could kickstart the Rangers' new direction. One that delivers wins, and a team that believes in itself enough to win on a nightly basis.

A philosophy that seems to be lost on the current lineup.

Previously on NY Hockey Insider

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DECEMBRE 30 \| 1564 ANSWERS Perfect opportunity for the Rangers: Former top-five pick lands on waivers from the Penguins Should GM Chris Drury of the New York Rangers claim forward Jesse Puljujarvi from their rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins?
Yes	834	53.3 %
No	730	46.7 %
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Perfect opportunity for the Rangers: Former top-five pick lands on waivers from the Penguins

In order for the Rangers to re-tool the lineup, they'll have to make hard decisions, and load up on talent some teams aren't willing to take. Even redemption projects and one of those players just landed on waivers. GM Chris Drury could claim Jesse Puljujarvi.

Should GM Chris Drury of the New York Rangers claim forward Jesse Puljujarvi from their rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins?