Jesse Puljujarvi unloads a quick wrist shot. Photo credit: Association of Photographers.
On Day One of the Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets decided to pick Pierre-Luc Dubois, a big, two-way forward hailing from the tiny town of Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, instead of Jesse Puljujarvi, a Finnish forward who was considered the consensus third pick. Puljujarvi was eventually snapped up by the Oilers at 4th. The decision was so surprising* that Puljujarvi himself couldn't control his reaction. Literally every prospect ranking on the Internet had him ranked third behind Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine.
In the end, Puljujarvi only fell one spot in the draft, but his drop was still one of the most unexpected in the draft.
How much did going from third to fourth overall cost Puljujarvi? It's impossible to know for sure until both he and Dubois sign with the teams that drafted them, but we can still take a guess. Third overall picks have higher base salaries per year and a higher signing bonus. In addition, they also have the opportunity earn more money in performance bonuses.
From 2010 to 2015, the average third overall pick will earn $909,271 per year as a base salary with an $80,521 signing bonus. They also can earn up to $2,063,542 in performance bonuses. An average fourth overall pick, however, will have a base salary of $906,035 per year with a $78,313 signing bonus, and they can earn up to $1,242,292.
Factoring out signing bonuses, third overall picks will earn $5,444 more than fourth overall picks, and they have the opportunity to earn about 821,250 in performance bonuses. In total, third overall picks make up to $826,694 more than fourth overall picks. There's also the added cost that Puljujarvi has to spend at least the first few years of his career with the Oilers.
In the end, Puljujarvi only fell one spot in the draft, but his drop was still one of the most unexpected in the draft.
How much did going from third to fourth overall cost Puljujarvi? It's impossible to know for sure until both he and Dubois sign with the teams that drafted them, but we can still take a guess. Third overall picks have higher base salaries per year and a higher signing bonus. In addition, they also have the opportunity earn more money in performance bonuses.
From 2010 to 2015, the average third overall pick will earn $909,271 per year as a base salary with an $80,521 signing bonus. They also can earn up to $2,063,542 in performance bonuses. An average fourth overall pick, however, will have a base salary of $906,035 per year with a $78,313 signing bonus, and they can earn up to $1,242,292.
Factoring out signing bonuses, third overall picks will earn $5,444 more than fourth overall picks, and they have the opportunity to earn about 821,250 in performance bonuses. In total, third overall picks make up to $826,694 more than fourth overall picks. There's also the added cost that Puljujarvi has to spend at least the first few years of his career with the Oilers.