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Oilers' Jesse Puljujarvi files trademark application for 'Bison King'

The Oilers winger reportedly intends to use the trademark to create athletic apparel after a photo he posted of an actual bison went viral this past fall. (Photos via Jesse Puljujarvi)

The Edmonton Oilers are looking like real contenders this season, leading the Pacific Division with 32 points as star forwards Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid sit atop the NHL’s scoring race.

Everyone is pulling their weight in the team’s push towards the Stanley Cup, including Finnish forward Jesse Puljujarvi, who is making headlines both on and off the ice. The 23-year-old has a cool 17 points in 21 games this season, but what might be even cooler is his self-assigned nickname: Bison King.

Puljujarvi went viral in September when a photo of him posing in front of a bison emerged on social media. The post went viral, and thus began the legend of the Bison King.

Predictably, he even dressed up as a Bison King for Halloween.

On Thursday, Puljujarvi took a further step in solidifying the nickname when he officially filed a trademark application for “Bison King.” The application states that he intends to use the name for the branding of athletic apparel.

While the news may seem strange, Oilers’ fans are happy to see Puljujarvi finally settling into his life in Edmonton after a tumultuous start to his NHL career. Picked fourth-overall by the Oilers in the 2016 NHL Draft, the winger struggled to cement a roster spot with the club, bouncing up and down between the NHL and AHL before returning to the Finnish Elite League for a year in 2019.

Prior to the start of the 2020-2021 season, Puljujarvi was signed to a two-year, $2.35 million contract extension with Edmonton. Since the start of last season, he’s recorded 42 points in 76 games, and is finally living up to his potential as a highly-skilled power-forward.

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