Jesse Puljujarvi, the 19-year-old winger picked 4th overall in the 2016 NHL draft, has been called up the Edmonton Oilers.
With the team facing injury problems and scoring problems, fans who have clamoured for weeks to have Puljujarvi recalled from the American Hockey League finally got their wish on Friday.
It’s expected the big winger could slot in on the Oilers’ second line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Milan Lucic.
The team has struggled to score for much of the season, averaging 2.33 goals per game, the lowest rate in the league.
The power play, scoring at a rate of 13.3 per cent, could also use a boost.
Puljujarvi has appeared in 10 games with the Bakersfield Condors this season, and has one goal and four assists.
His 31 shots on goals leads Bakersfield through the first 10 games of the season.
The Finnish right winger has accumulated 13 goals and 20 assists in 49 career AHL games over the past two seasons.
Wingers Drake Caggiula and Anton Slepyshev were both injured Tuesday in the Oilers’ 3-2 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils.
Forward Jujhar Khaira has played six games but hasn’t been in the lineup since Oct. 28.
The Oilers are 2-0 on their four-game road trip, which continues Saturday against the New York Rangers and concludes Sunday with the Washington Capitals.
The 6’4″, 211-pound forward appeared in 28 career NHL games last season. He scored one goal and had seven assists.
The Oilers also placed forward Anton Slepyshev on injured reserve Friday.