How good is Alexander Wennberg?

[Sensinitis]

25pts in 28 games. Plays on the first line and first PP. Averages only 18min ("only" as in comparison to above average 1Cs in the league), but seems to be trusted with 20+ mins every now and then.

I haven't had a chance to watch him through a full game yet. How good is this guy? Any comparisons? Interested to read some observations. Is he playing like a good 1C already? Or is it more of a hot start, in a context where the whole team has been scoring at a very high rate? How is his defensive game?

Haven't seen threads about him on here.

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[spintheblackcircle]

Poor man's Backstrom.

 

[Nordic*]

Top 20-25 playmaking center at this point, probably.

Gained a lot of respect for him when he dropped the mits and fought Tkachuk after he crushed Saad.

 

[Jackets16]

25pts in 28 games. Plays on the first line and first PP. Averages only 18min ("only" as in comparison to above average 1Cs in the league), but seems to be trusted with 20+ mins every now and then.

I haven't had a chance to watch him through a full game yet. How good is this guy? Any comparisons? Interested to read some observations. Is he playing like a good 1C already? Or is it more of a hot start, in a context where the whole team has been scoring at a very high rate? How is his defensive game?

Haven't seen threads about him on here.

He is really good defensively and as a playmaker. He still isn't an elite 1C, because he can't take games over offensively, but he is a 1C. Defensively, he is one of the best, IMO.

 

[Crede777]

His best attributes are his vision, passing, and skating the puck. He is very good at taking a bad pass in his skates and seamlessly kicking it to his stick at full speed. Also good at controlling and protecting the puck.

His worst attributes are his faceoff abilite and shot. He can score, but his shot is relatively weak and he really avoids using it.

If he gets better at faceoffs, uses his shot more, and adds some more muscle then he would be an elite playmaking center. As is, he is a decent 1C.

 

[Nordic*]

His best attributes are his vision, passing, and skating the puck. He is very good at taking a bad pass in his skates and seamlessly kicking it to his stick at full speed. Also good at controlling and protecting the puck.

His worst attributes are his faceoff abilite and shot. He can score, but his shot is relatively weak and he really avoids using it.

If he gets better at faceoffs, uses his shot more, and adds some more muscle then he would be an elite playmaking center. As is, he is a decent 1C.

Columbus seemed to know what they were doing when they traded Johansen away.

Wonder who'll be the better player in a couple of years. Or heck, who is better right now: Wennberg or Johansen?

 

[Bobcat110]

Ryan Who? Wenny is really making the Seth Jones trade look great for CBJ.

Wennberg: 28 GP 6-19-25
Johansen: 30 GP 6-15-21

Torts has been leaning on Wennberg since preseason saying it's his 3rd year and time to take step forward. Particularly, I don' t think CBJ felt he was playing aggressive enough without the puck and passing up shots. Some evidence to that include that he played 64 games last year before he even picked up a minor penalty and during the preseason, CBJ had drills to push him to shoot more and dig the puck out in the corners.

Torts was beaming Friday night after Wennberg fought Matt Tkachuk. It was Wennberg's first fight at any level of hockey and initiated in response to borderline hit Tkachuk put on Saad.

https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/new...-blue-jackets-feature-november-22/c-283972930

http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com...ng-all-around-game-on-display-in-5-3-win.html

 

[McFlyingV]

Great skater and great playmaker. Probably won't score a lot of goals, but I see him being a 50-60 assist guy who chips in 15 goals a year.

As mentioned already in this thread he's like a poor man's Backstrom at this point, which is a pretty good player.

 

[Braunbaer]

Pretty good.

 

[Batrous]

He is a good player that's for sure. Although he might be the top line centre the blue jackets need ultimately (long term), he is showing he has the determination and skills more to fill in as a top line centre. It remains to be seen if he can keep it going. In any event it looks like the Jacket got themselves a good player either way. A great pickup with a mid range first round pick (14th overall in 2013). It's too bad the other first round picks they did at that draft (19 and 27 I believe) didn't work out for them.

 

[A4T1L6]

I've been told he is their 1c

 

[Apotheosis]

He's good enough that he's making that Jones trade look amazing. If they filled out another good C (I assume they're hoping PLD becomes that), combine a good 1-2 punch with an incredible forechecking team and deep D with an elite goalie; you would almost have to bet on them to win a cup in the future. Great team.

 

[Hello Johnny]

He is a good player that's for sure. Although he might be the top line centre the blue jackets need ultimately (long term), he is showing he has the determination and skills more to fill in as a top line centre. It remains to be seen if he can keep it going. In any event it looks like the Jacket got themselves a good player either way. A great pickup with a mid range first round pick (14th overall in 2013). It's too bad the other first round picks they did at that draft (19 and 27 I believe) didn't work out for them.

Dano was picked at 27 and was a big piece in getting us Saad.

 

[major major]

How is his defensive game?

That's the best part.

 

[major major]

He is a good player that's for sure. Although he might be the top line centre the blue jackets need ultimately (long term), he is showing he has the determination and skills more to fill in as a top line centre. It remains to be seen if he can keep it going. In any event it looks like the Jacket got themselves a good player either way. A great pickup with a mid range first round pick (14th overall in 2013). It's too bad the other first round picks they did at that draft (19 and 27 I believe) didn't work out for them.

Dano? Better than most of the guys in that range, and got the Jackets Brandon Frikkin Saad. I say it worked out pretty good.

 

[major major]

He is a good player that's for sure. Although he might be the top line centre the blue jackets need ultimately (long term), he is showing he has the determination and skills more to fill in as a top line centre. It remains to be seen if he can keep it going. In any event it looks like the Jacket got themselves a good player either way. A great pickup with a mid range first round pick (14th overall in 2013). It's too bad the other first round picks they did at that draft (19 and 27 I believe) didn't work out for them.

If he's somewhat outperforming right now, he also has room to grow still, having just turned 22. I've been saying for a while that he is on a trajectory for a Krejci like role, and if anything he's ahead of that trajectory. If the Jackets can just get a Bergeron (a bit much to ask?) then they've got the centers they need.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

fantastic pass on the go ahead goal just now.....2 assists tonite

 

[EK47]

Not sure but he is a great complement to saad and foligno

 

[WannabeFinn]

Backstrom lite.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Incredible player. He's fun to watch for sure. As mentioned above, just needs (a relatively large) improvement in faceoffs and his shot. Everything else is elite.

 

[Sensinitis]

Watched half the Canucks game today. He seemed solid 2-way but man he does seem to pass up nice shooting opportunities. While the assist on Saad's goal was nice, what most drew my attention was that cross-ice pass to Murray.

 

[Nordic*]

2 more assists tonight.

 

[JayE]

He probably impressed me the most of any Blue Jackets player as they've come through Western Canada. Skilled player and a good passer, but what really strikes me is his defensive game. I'm not totally sure if he can bring the offence to justify being the number one center on a contender in the long term (I'd have to see him play more regularly to say definitively one way or the other), but I really like his two-way game.

 

[Lampedampe]

If he stops in development now he's probably a 1/2#C. If he takes yet another step next season with faceoffs and maybe even his shot he could become a decent #1C. Will probably never become a elite player

While I would love to see wennberg become a prominent player in this league I do have a hard time seeing it. More realistcly I think he peaks with a couple of 70 point seasons while most of his career he's a strong 2#C at 60 ish points with good 2-way game.

But I really hopes he turns into a 1#C, Sweden national team could use some better offense :p

 

[TLEH]

Wished the Hawks went after him rather than Dano, and frankly probably could have got him because Dano's value was sky high after his end of that season.