TSN: Jackets leaning towards Wennberg buyout

[JacketLife]

Im guessing Jarmo just wasn’t willing to retain. Why would he? The buyout is so low retaining probably would have been a bigger cap hit.
I really like Wenny, but he was given every chance to succeed - more chances than anyone else on this team. It’s time for the Jackets to move on, and I hope he can regain his potential elsewhere.

Hits to the head were the end of his aggressive board play. He became way too tentative. It didn’t help that we gave Vegas a pick to take his buddy and best line mate over Korpi.
For any team signing Wenny, he’s absolutely still worth 2-3 million or so as a 3/4 checking line center. He won’t put up points but he’ll be your best defensive foreword. And he’s a great guy who is loved by his teammates, participates in community events, and actually smiles in interviews.

 

[JacketLife]

CBJ fans— If he’s good defensively why did he sink playing for a guy like Torts on a team that seemingly needs centers? I’m actually asking.

Because as good as he is defensively, he’s 1000x more frustrating offensively. No matter who he’s playing with, he loses the puck in the offensive zone, refuses to shoot, and then occasionally shows a McDavid like move that gives you hope until he crushes it again. Because he will. The guy was even tried with Panarin before Dubois took over that spot, and he couldn’t put up points.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Instead of asking what happened to him after that 59 point season, better question is how did he have that season in the first place.

Answer is the Jackets had one of those "take the league by storm" seasons where a bunch of guys had career years at the same time. Just like the Flames in 18-19, Vegas in 17-18 or any other team you can name from the past. They won 16 games in a row. Their PP was running hot and was one of the best in the league (uncharacteristic for CBJ) for the first few months. Wennberg racked up a lot of assists as a result.

That's still the best regular season they've ever had, even after they acquired Panarin. In other words, the team nor Wennberg was never that good. After they came back to earth later in the season, from March 1st to the end of the playoffs Wennberg had 8 points in 24 games (1 goal).

His lack of development is not the coaches fault. He refuses to shoot the puck, lacks drive to go to the net and gives the appearance of uninterested play at times. Torts has tried everything to get him going but nothings happening outside of spurts here and there.

Another lesson why you should never pay guys based on these type of seasons for the team. Imagine if Vegas paid Karlsson like a 40 goalscorer after 17-18.

Anyway, Wennberg looks like a lot more effective offensively in international play with more open ice and lots of passing play on the PP. Maybe if a team has a skill-based PP to put him in to gain confidence that could carry over to his ES play and make him do the things he refuses to do a lot of the time more often.

 

[datsyukfan]

Would love for the wings to jump on this guy if he hits the market. Perfect guy at his age to get 2C minutes next year with Fabbri and zadina

 

[Djp]

For any team signing Wenny, he’s absolutely still worth 2-3 million or so as a 3/4 checking line center. He won’t put up points but he’ll be your best defensive foreword. And he’s a great guy who is loved by his teammates, participates in community events, and actually smiles in interviews.

Just as a measuring stick

Buffalo 3C is Jogan Larsson who is a UFA this year/

He is very strong defensively but only gets high teens pts per year. I think he might be seeking $3M per. Buuffalo might want to keep him but at a lower price given his lack of offense.

I think Wennberg has a higher pt total potential depending on what role he plays---pure checking vs two way line. He is also a 2 year younger.

 

[jetsforever]

Please come to Winnipeg

 

[The Nuge]

It’s a no brainer buyout. He’s a 3C being paid like a 2C, so to move him, you’ve got to retain at least a million, at which point you still might be taking back a contract you don’t want to. You also get penalized if you wait another year. It’s cheaper to just buy him out and be done with it