The Edmonton Oilers have made a number of moves to bolster their depth on the wings this off-season, and that’s pushed some players down the depth chart. One of those guys is forward Jesse Joensuu, who was signed to a two-year contract last July. Joensuu is an interesting case, and is a guy that suffered through multiple injuries this past season.
He had a solid camp and pre-season last September, and a great opening night, but shortly there after suffered an injury and took some time to regroup, before suffering another injury and ultimately seeing his season get derailed. Could Joensuu be a candidate to rebound this season?
It’s possible, and if the hungry player we saw last training camp shows up, it’s even likely. There’s a roster spot open, and Joensuu has the skill set and the size to take it and run with it. There’s pros and cons to this player.
The Good Uncle Jesse:
Jesse Joensuu is a a big boy, standing in at 6’4” and 210 pounds, and is a younger guy at only 26 years of age. He fits in with the time-table of the Oilers, and fits in with the mold of player they want size wise. His style of play is also a welcomed addition to the Oilers lineup, and he’s a fit as a bottom-six forward.
Joensuu plays a heavy game, as he’s a guy that likes to use his body to make things happen physically on the ice. The Oilers don’t have many of those players, but this is a guy that can bring that element. He likes to go into the corners and likes to go to the front of the net, which is what helped him stand out during the pre-season last fall. He did that at times during the regular season as well.
On top of being a physical player, Joensuu is a guy that can get under the skin of the other team, and can really agitate as we saw a couple of times this past season. He’s not perfect, but his skill set fits in with what the Oilers lack, making him an appealing option in that regard.
As a possession player, Joensuu is average and does not have the ability to push the river, although that shouldn’t be surprising considering he is simply a complimentary depth option on a roster. He posted a 43.8% Corsi For this past season on a poor Oilers team, but had a solid 49.7% mark for the Islanders during the 2012-13 campaign, although only in seven games.
Joensuu isn’t a great possession player, but he’s shown stretches of where he’s been a good player in this regard. As we know, Corsi For isn’t everything, and the team you play on does have a big impact on that number. The Oilers were a horrible possession team this past season, and some of the players Joensuu teamed up with were simply not very good.
The Bad Of Uncle Jesse:
The big thing here is injuries. Joensuu has lost more than his fair share of games due to injury, and it’s becoming a really bad habit. Joensuu missed all but seven games during the 2012-13 season, missed 40 games this past season, and was never really right past opening night. That’s a problem, because if Joensuu can’t stay healthy he’s not worth a roster spot.
Joensuu’s offensive production is another issue. He’s not expected to go out there and score 20 goals a year, but he needs to be able to do something out there offensively, especially if he’s playing with Boyd Gordon and Matt Hendricks, two forwards without much offense to their game.
In seven games in 2012-13, Joensuu had two points total, and this year in 42 games he had only five, with three of those being goals. Stretch this year over a full season, and we are looking at about ten points from Joensuu. That’s not good at all.
Joensuu’s inability to play special teams kind of hurts him here too. He was not used in a PK role this past season, and wasn’t used in that spot in New York either. Power-play wise, he was used as a net-front presence from time to time, but he will have to jump ahead of both David Perron and Benoit Pouliot for that spot this year, which is unlikely.
This is strictly a five-on-five player, and while he does bring some good qualities to the table, is he good enough five-on-five to earn a roster spot? That’s a very fair question.
The Final Thought:
Jesse Joensuu is an interesting case. He was great in camp last year then faded away due to injury less than 60 minutes into the season. He brings size, physical play, and a willingness to get dirty and go into the corners and play the front of the net, which is what is missing from this line-up.
He can survive possession wise, and is a guy that has looked decent in NHL work that last two seasons, when he’s been able to play.
The knocks on him are simple, yet big. He struggles to produce offense, and he can’t stay healthy. Those aren’t the only problems with this player, but those two problems can both be the reasons why he doesn’t have a long NHL career.
Joensuu has one more year left on his contract, and will come to training camp healthy and with a spot to win. The Oilers need someone to rise up and take their fourth line right wing spot, and Jesse Joensuu has all the tools.
Can he step up and take the job? It’ll be something to watch in September.
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