The all-purpose: Alexander Wennberg thread

[Viqsi]

Is it fair to say that Wennberg hasn’t been bad but also hasn’t been as good as the team needs (or if you are in the We Don’t Need Him to Be Better We Are Fine As Is crowd then substitute “needs” for “wants”) him to be?

It's fair, except I'd go for "needs" rather than "wants".

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

It depends on your definition of "bad." I guess. There are times he's been bad. There are times he's been good. Over the past couple years, there has been more of the former than the latter.

 

[rt]

Wennberg has a bunch of potential and is stuck in a rut. Dylan Strome has a ton of skill and his coach just refuses to give him any time above the 4th line. Any interest in a change of scenery type trade like Montreal and Arizona did with Galchenyuk and Domi? Dylan Strome for Wennberg? Columbus gets the cheaper, younger asset and Arizona gets the more proven one? Obviously both might benefit from a new situation with new coaches. Not unlike Domi and Galchenyuk whonare now both happy and thriving.

Thoughts?

 

[Viqsi]

Wennberg has a bunch of potential and is stuck in a rut. Dylan Strome has a ton of skill and his coach just refuses to give him any time above the 4th line. Any interest in a change of scenery type trade like Montreal and Arizona did with Galchenyuk and Domi? Dylan Strome for Wennberg? Columbus gets the cheaper, younger asset and Arizona gets the more proven one? Obviously both might benefit from a new situation with new coaches. Not unlike Domi and Galchenyuk whonare now both happy and thriving.

Thoughts?

As problematic as Wennberg has been lately, he's still been worlds better than Strome has ever shown at the NHL level. No interest.

 

[major major]

Wennberg has a bunch of potential and is stuck in a rut. Dylan Strome has a ton of skill and his coach just refuses to give him any time above the 4th line. Any interest in a change of scenery type trade like Montreal and Arizona did with Galchenyuk and Domi? Dylan Strome for Wennberg? Columbus gets the cheaper, younger asset and Arizona gets the more proven one? Obviously both might benefit from a new situation with new coaches. Not unlike Domi and Galchenyuk whonare now both happy and thriving.

Thoughts?

I don't know Strome's overall game. I think his ability to defend and check is what would ultimately determine if he gets any more ice time in Columbus. If he can handle that I could see a deal here.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Wennberg has a bunch of potential and is stuck in a rut. Dylan Strome has a ton of skill and his coach just refuses to give him any time above the 4th line. Any interest in a change of scenery type trade like Montreal and Arizona did with Galchenyuk and Domi? Dylan Strome for Wennberg? Columbus gets the cheaper, younger asset and Arizona gets the more proven one? Obviously both might benefit from a new situation with new coaches. Not unlike Domi and Galchenyuk whonare now both happy and thriving.

Thoughts?

I remember seeing Strome play a few games with Erie in the OHL and wondering if he was fast enough/quick enough to make it in the NHL. I saw him play against Marner, Domi, DeAngelo and a bunch of other future first rounders and he seemed to be the least likely of the bunch to make an impact in the NHL.

Wennberg is probably not a good fit in Columbus under Torts, but I don't know if Strome is a fit anywhere in the NHL, so I'd respectfully pass on that deal.

 

[rt]

I don't know Strome's overall game. I think his ability to defend and check is what would ultimately determine if he gets any more ice time in Columbus. If he can handle that I could see a deal here.

The Gifted: How Dylan Strome redefined his game to remain a top prospect
The Gifted: How Dylan Strome redefined his game to remain a...

And

Inside Dylan Strome’s precocious prowess in the face-off circle
Inside Dylan Strome’s precocious prowess in the face-off...

 

[rjgrp]

Wennberg has exactly one more NHL goal than all of us combined and makes 4.9 mill a year. Are 10 assists really worth that money? Especially when compared to what Duclair earns? At least he scores goals.

"major x2" - Wins and losses are not based on assists. I shouldn't have to say that twice ... but here we go.

Wins and losses are not based on assists

At this point it’s more appropriate for Wennberg to do his figure skating routines in a royal blue satin jump suit with matching skates than in a CBJ sweater.

 

[Viqsi]

Wennberg has exactly one more NHL goal than all of us combined and makes 4.9 mill a year. Are 10 assists really worth that money? Especially when compared to what Duclair earns? At least he scores goals.

"major x2" - Wins and losses are not based on assists. I shouldn't have to say that twice ... but here we go.

Wins and losses are not based on assists

At this point it’s more appropriate for Wennberg to do his figure skating routines in a royal blue satin jump suit with matching skates than in a CBJ sweater.

Boy did you ever pick a bad time to try to make this point. Wennberg was in badass mode last night.

 

[rjgrp]

Boy did you ever pick a bad time to try to make this point. Wennberg was in badass mode last night.

Specifically why I chose today to make the point. I was there... did you see his idea of a check? HA!

Let us not be disillusioned.

A point for a secondary assist is the equivalent of a participation ribbon.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Specifically why I chose today to make the point. I was there... did you see his idea of a check? HA!

Let us not be disillusioned.

A point for a secondary assist is the equivalent of a participation ribbon.

Torts?

 

[major major]

Wennberg has exactly one more NHL goal than all of us combined and makes 4.9 mill a year. Are 10 assists really worth that money? Especially when compared to what Duclair earns? At least he scores goals.

"major x2" - Wins and losses are not based on assists. I shouldn't have to say that twice ... but here we go.

Wins and losses are not based on assists

At this point it’s more appropriate for Wennberg to do his figure skating routines in a royal blue satin jump suit with matching skates than in a CBJ sweater.

Actually assists do contribute towards wins. This is uncontroversial. Secondary assists are on average worth much less, perhaps that's what you are thinking of. Wennberg has a healthy amount of primary assists.

Tell me how Cam scores his goal last night if Wennberg doesn't force the turnover, ward off the defenders, and set up Cam wide open.

The CBJ come back last night was started by Alex Wennberg on the PK.

 

[CBJx614]

Actually assists do contribute towards wins. This is uncontroversial. Secondary assists are on average worth much less, perhaps that's what you are thinking of. Wennberg has a healthy amount of primary assists.

Tell me how Cam scores his goal last night if Wennberg doesn't force the turnover, ward off the defenders, and set up Cam wide open.

The CBJ come back last night was started by Alex Wennberg on the PK.

To be completely fair, they both pressured the dmen and Wennberg poked it out of the zone. But the point still remains. If Wennberg doesn't put his body between the puck and the defender while managing to still get the perfect pass off, that's not a goal. My buddy freaked about Wennberg the other night, but I still fail to see how he ISNT worth his contract. He puts up 40 pts and plays extremely well defensively, he's worth every penny of his contract. It's only frustrating because we know he can be more.

 

[major major]

To be completely fair, they both pressured the dmen and Wennberg poked it out of the zone. But the point still remains. If Wennberg doesn't put his body between the puck and the defender while managing to still get the perfect pass off, that's not a goal. My buddy freaked about Wennberg the other night, but I still fail to see how he ISNT worth his contract. He puts up 40 pts and plays extremely well defensively, he's worth every penny of his contract. It's only frustrating because we know he can be more.

If he plays like he has lately, I agree, Wennberg is well worth his contract.

 

[Old Guy]

^^

 

[rjgrp]

When I looked at the scoreboard last night it reflected goals... not assists. Regarding points... should we give a point to a tight end for making a good block? Of course not. It's his job.

Points for assists - especially secondary assists - are the equivalent of the tip jar at Starbucks.

Hockey is a physical sport. Wenn is soft. That is undeniable. The CBJ need something more.

That said - there are far bigger issues in the world. I enjoy this trivial diversion.

 

[KJ Dangler]

If he plays like he has lately, I agree, Wennberg is well worth his contract.

11 points in 19 games , equates to what , 44 points on the season , assuming he doesn’t miss any games . Maybe I’m off base , but that’s pretty poor for our second line center , in a team that’s scoring the way we are. Having said that , he has 5 points in his last 5 games , we’ve seen huge peaks and valleys with this player , including last year , where he got hot for a bit , let’s see which direction he goes . I’m encouraged he has 5 shots in the last 5 games .

 

[Monk]

When I looked at the scoreboard last night it reflected goals... not assists. Regarding points... should we give a point to a tight end for making a good block? Of course not. It's his job.

Points for assists - especially secondary assists - are the equivalent of the tip jar at Starbucks.

Hockey is a physical sport. Wenn is soft. That is undeniable. The CBJ need something more.

That said - there are far bigger issues in the world. I enjoy this trivial diversion.

You think those evaluating tight ends don't look at their blocking stats to evaluate the player? Or that blocking doesn't contribute to said points on the scoreboard? Are you intentionally missing the clear connection between all these things?

 

[major major]

When I looked at the scoreboard last night it reflected goals... not assists.

I'm not sure if you actually believe this, but I enjoy a meandering argument too so here we go.

The goals on the scoreboard are a team statistic, reflecting all sorts of contributions. Sometimes the goal scorer is chiefly responsible, and sometimes the goal is just a tap-in where the goal is clearly created by the player getting the assist. Watch McDavid play and tell me that Ty Rattie or whichever goal scorer is on his line is the one responsible for creating the goals.

Yes, secondary assists are mostly just noise, meaning you'll occasionally get one just for being out there. But if you have a player that consistently gets a lot of assists (right now Panarin and Wennberg lead the team, and they fit the bill), then that tells you they are creating goals. Now that's all statistical inference - which I don't expect you to believe. If you can watch what Wennberg did last night and think it worthless, then there is no hope.

 

[Viqsi]

When I looked at the scoreboard last night it reflected goals... not assists. Regarding points... should we give a point to a tight end for making a good block? Of course not. It's his job.

Should we give points to Atkinson for shooting the puck in the net? Of course not. It's his job.


...if that sounds as absurd to you as it does to me, then maybe we might be on to something here.

 

[major major]

11 points in 19 games , equates to what , 44 points on the season , assuming he doesn’t miss any games . Maybe I’m off base , but that’s pretty poor for our second line center , in a team that’s scoring the way we are. Having said that , he has 5 points in his last 5 games , we’ve seen huge peaks and valleys with this player , including last year , where he got hot for a bit , let’s see which direction he goes . I’m encouraged he has 5 shots in the last 5 games .

I was referring to the last few weeks play, not the first few weeks where he was off track.

But I don't find 44 pts to be an especially low total for a second line center or a player making $4.9m per. That's maybe what you'd get on the UFA market with those totals (e.g. Anisimov), and maybe a little high for an RFA. You can check how many forwards top 44 pts per year - 120 to 140 is my guess, so about half of second liners don't even make that cutoff.

 

[niflheim]

11 points in 19 games , equates to what , 44 points on the season , assuming he doesn’t miss any games . Maybe I’m off base , but that’s pretty poor for our second line center , in a team that’s scoring the way we are. Having said that , he has 5 points in his last 5 games , we’ve seen huge peaks and valleys with this player , including last year , where he got hot for a bit , let’s see which direction he goes . I’m encouraged he has 5 shots in the last 5 games .

As Swedish he’s still too young. Waiting with patience two years more, he’ll be beast

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I think he's playing better and looking more engaged recently. He seems to play better with a grinder type of player so he gets more space by default. Last night it was Dubi, it has been Jenner in the past. Hopefully he keeps it up.

 

[EDM]

As a person who can't stand Wennberg, I agree he and Cam pulled off a beautiful move last nite and the shorthanded goal seemed to wake the Jackets up. Good job for Wennberg on that play. The assist to Dubie, however, was just a secondary assist and it was Werenski who made a good play to get the puck headed in Dubie's direction. I don't get very excited about secondary assists. But Wennberg has made some plays in the past week. That should be acknowledged. Let's see how he continues.

On, and 44 points for a season with no more than five of those points being goals, and having a horrendous FO percentage does not, to me, equate to a $5 million dollar a year player.

 

[EspenK]

If you do the math 11 pts in 19 games projects to 47/48 points per 82 games. About a .57 ppg average. For $5mm? Not too bad.