Jesse Puljujarvi or Ivan Barbashev?
The Vegas Golden Knights had a similar situation with their forwards in 2023. Instead of pursuing Karel Vejmelka, they were linked to Edmonton Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi. The Finnish winger scored five goals and nine assists in 58 games, a far cry from his stat line of 14 goals and 22 assists the year prior. He needed a change of scenery from Canada, getting more playing time with a new team.
The Golden Knights were one of those teams mentioned, where he would have a team filled with veteran goal-scorers. However, Puljujarvi was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes, where he scored two assists in 17 games. A year later, he scored three goals and one assist in 22 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The former fourth-overall pick fell off and didn't live up to expectations, leaving him as a first-round draft bust.
As for Vegas? They went with Ivan Barbashev, who paired nicely with Jack Eichel that year. He scored six goals and 10 assists in 23 regular-season games. He thrived in the postseason, scoring seven goals and 11 assists in 22 Stanley Cup playoff games, en route to another championship. As a result, he got a five-year, $5 million AAV deal last summer, solidifying himself as an important piece for Vegas.