The all-purpose: Alexander Wennberg thread

[Double-Shift Lasse]

‘Pissed off’ John Tortorella weighs in on departed...

I feel like Torts is being totally honest and transparent here. I say this because he doesn't shut down or talk around the idea that there's a personality clash. He says to ask the player, not flat-out no. (And I'm not suggesting it should be on Torts to handle Wennberg differently, just... I found his answer interesting.)

I also find it interesting he's already decided Nyquist will start off with Wennberg. I wouldn't do it, but it ain't up to me.

 

[CharlotteJacket]

I'm changing Wennberg's first name to Hopefully as in Hopefully Wennberg can start scoring goals or Hopefully Wennberg can get some assists or Hopefully Wennberg will be more dynamic and engaged and won't look like a disinterested fence post when he's on the ice.

 

[thebus88]

I also find it interesting he's already decided Nyquist will start off with Wennberg. I wouldn't do it, but it ain't up to me.

I also thought this was interesting, and a bit early without seeing any of the guys skating, and it really goes against where I thought Nyquist and Wennberg will be playing/fit on the depth chart. He also brought up Texier at center, which I don't necessarily agree with, at least right now. I think it shows the lines will be attempted to be split into a "top 9", not "top 6".

However, we do have to look at the term "start" and realize that "lines" need to be made even before the 1st practice, so this set combo might not be set after a couple pre season games. Then again, with everything said and hinted at, maybe we see a "sheltered"/offensive USAGE- 3rd line of Nyquist-Texier-Wennberg??

 

[CBJ goalie]

Thanks for sharing that bit of the article.

Vanek got Wennberg going, maybe Nyquist can be a catalyst too.

 

[Viqsi]

I also thought this was interesting, and a bit early without seeing any of the guys skating, and it really goes against where I thought Nyquist and Wennberg will be playing/fit on the depth chart. He also brought up Texier at center, which I don't necessarily agree with, at least right now. I think it shows the lines will be attempted to be split into a "top 9", not "top 6".

However, we do have to look at the term "start" and realize that "lines" need to be made even before the 1st practice, so this set combo might not be set after a couple pre season games. Then again, with everything said and hinted at, maybe we see a "sheltered"/offensive USAGE- 3rd line of Nyquist-Texier-Wennberg??

Concur absolutely with the bolded.

* * *​

Thanks for sharing that bit of the article.

Vanek got Wennberg going, maybe Nyquist can be a catalyst too.

We can but hope.

 

[DarkandStormy]

I'm hoping Torts tries out Foudy and/or Texier in Wennberg's spot in the preseason a couple games. Wouldn't mind if Foudy shows he's not out of his element getting at least 9 games. It's pretty bad when you're 5 seasons in and your coach is basically giving up talking to you because you haven't responded to the feedback for two years.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I'm hoping Torts tries out Foudy and/or Texier in Wennberg's spot in the preseason a couple games. Wouldn't mind if Foudy shows he's not out of his element getting at least 9 games. It's pretty bad when you're 5 seasons in and your coach is basically giving up talking to you because you haven't responded to the feedback for two years.

Jarmo should have bitten the bullet and bought him out this past off season. No one will touch him at his current salary-and rightfully so.

 

[Viqsi]

Jarmo should have bitten the bullet and bought him out this past off season. No one will touch him at his current salary-and rightfully so.

Still an option next offseason, and still at 1/3.

 

[Nanabijou]

Still an option next offseason, and still at 1/3.

They better insure that contract to the fullest extent.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

They better insure that contract to the fullest extent.

+1
If he's injured-and he does have a concussion history-he can't be bought out.

He's making $5.3 million in cash for the next 4 years. The odds of him providing even close to near that value are not good.

 

[EDM]

What is so disgusting is that repeatedly Jarmo just hands Wennberg a roster spot without it being earned. This has gone on since Wennberg first joined the team and he was handed a starting center slot. Now Pooh is coming off one of the worst seasons of any forward in the NHL. He has taken no known steps to improve or upgrade his game. In essence he just dares Jarmo to cut him and Jarmo gives in and gives him a spot despite no additional effort by Wennberg to earn it. It is kind of like a millionaire father and his spoiled self entitled son. Pathetic.

 

[Viqsi]

Oh my.

What is so disgusting is that repeatedly Jarmo just hands Wennberg a roster spot without it being earned. This has gone on since Wennberg first joined the team and he was handed a starting center slot.

The starting top-3 centers in Wennberg's first year were Johansen, Dubinsky, and Anisimov. Letestu was also on as #4C, but he missed a lot of games.

Now Pooh is coming off one of the worst seasons of any forward in the NHL.

Hyperbole much? The threshold for "among the worst in the NHL" is shockingly low, even for young guys with hype and talent and prior NHL experience. Nail Yakupov could only dream of reaching 25 points in a season towards the end of his NHL career, and there's guys who did a lot worse than him.

He has taken no known steps to improve or upgrade his game.

No known steps that have worked. There's this implied assumption going on that he Just Doesn't Care - and if that were the case, he'd have been regularly benched long ago, because Tortorella doesn't put up with that. Knowing what to do but not how to stick to it strikes me as more accurate - we saw a good illustration of that phenomenon recently with Duclair. It's not much consolation when looking at our center depth chart, but it avoids needlessly vilifying people...

In essence he just dares Jarmo to cut him and Jarmo gives in and gives him a spot despite no additional effort by Wennberg to earn it. It is kind of like a millionaire father and his spoiled self entitled son. Pathetic.

...like this silliness does. Seriously, this is way over the top. It's like his very existence is a blood insult to you or something. I haven't seen this kind of hate for a hockey player around here since The Former #7.
Well, of course, unless you count a certain other poster's attitude towards last year's starting goaltender.

 

[NotWendell]

Bold(?) prediction: He'll be playing for Seattle

 

[Viqsi]

Bold(?) prediction: He'll be playing for Seattle

No, the bold prediction would be that he does for Seattle what Karlsson did for Vegas.

 

[DarkandStormy]

Hyperbole much? The threshold for "among the worst in the NHL" is shockingly low, even for young guys with hype and talent and prior NHL experience. Nail Yakupov could only dream of reaching 25 points in a season towards the end of his NHL career, and there's guys who did a lot worse than him.

Yakupov managed to score more than...*checks notes*….0 even strength goals in every season, though.

 

[Viqsi]

Yakupov managed to score more than...*checks notes*….0 even strength goals in every season, though.

Do I have to start flooding this discussion with examples? I didn't want to do that, but I will if I have to. We can start with Alexandre Picard and go on from there.

 

[CBJx614]

Yakupov managed to score more than...*checks notes*….0 even strength goals in every season, though.

And yakupov would never in a million years to be trusted for any time on one of the leagues best PK units.

 

[DarkandStormy]

And yakupov would never in a million years to be trusted for any time on one of the leagues best PK units.

Can find PK specialists for cheaper than $4.9m per.

 

[Viqsi]

Can find PK specialists for cheaper than $4.9m per.

And? The point was that calling Wennberg's season "among the worst in the NHL" was absurd hyperbole, not that he's worth what he's currently being paid.

 

[MoeBartoli]

Agree calling Wennberg’s season among the worst in the NHL is a stretch. That category belongs to Dubi.

Should Wennberg play no better than last season, he is unplayable. Same for Dubi. They might well become the $10M PressBox Row.

 

[thebus88]

Agree calling Wennberg’s season among the worst in the NHL is a stretch. That category belongs to Dubi.

Should Wennberg play no better than last season, he is unplayable. Same for Dubi. They might well become the $10M PressBox Row.

End of the year and playoffs say otherwise regarding both Nash and Dubinsky. More than just a few games.

Who knows what happens if Wennberg stays in the lineup.

 

[EspenK]

Reminds me of the Umbie defense.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Reminds me of the Umbie defense.

That Dubi is worse than him? That he didn’t have the worst season in NHL history?

 

[EspenK]

That Dubi is worse than him? That he didn’t have the worst season in NHL history?

No. The whole defense of Wennberg reminds of Umbie is still a top 6 W campaign.

 

[Viqsi]

No. The whole defense of Wennberg reminds of Umbie is still a top 6 W campaign.

I just take issue with folks on my team being outright hated, and folks coming up with fabricated nonsense predicated entirely on that hate. I'm not the one claiming Wennberg is anything more than what he's been on the ice - hesitant in the offensive zone, nearly unwilling to shoot, and a great disappointment overall as a result. But that disappointment doesn't justify crafting elaborate fantasies about him being Filatov 2.0, or being some kind of irrational favorite of Kekalainen above all else, or other such nonsense.