ALEXANDER WENNBERG - Center - 24 - $4.9MM Cap Hit - UFA in 2023-2024
LAST UPDATED 8/2/19
After having a career year in 2016-17 with 59 points in 80 games, the Blue Jackets thought they had found their long-term offensive 2C, so they locked Alex Wennberg up until 2023-2024 for just a hair less than $5MM AAV. After a decent but somewhat underwhelming 2017-18 season, Wennberg endured a disaster of a 2018-19 season, seeing his shooting percentage crash to 3.1% and his point production crash by ten points, despite playing eleven more games than 2017-18. Wennberg was a healthy scratch for a few games during the season and simply looked out of place in an NHL lineup from an offensive perspective. That's not to say Wennberg isn't talented, of course, but the reality is that he had a disaster of an age-24 season, which does not inspire much confidence. Still, Wennberg's on-ice traits are quite strong. He has above-average puck skills and strong playmaking instincts, and he's capable of using his great skating to create time and space to set up teammates. Despite being a pass-first player with a below-average shot, he can still drive play from the center position and has legitimate upside to be a 10-15 goal, 55-65 point threat. Wennberg has good size and is a smart defensive player, capable of handling difficult defensive assignments and contributing with zone exits as well as board battles. He's not a Selke-level defensive force, but he's strong in his own end of the ice and is strong enough to remain in the lineup thanks to his defensive value even if he isn't scoring. Isolated impact metrics support these conclusions, measuring Wennberg as a strong driver of play at even strength and as a very capable defensive player and penalty killer. Since Wennberg has top prospect pedigree, a record of (inconsistent) success as an offensive play driver, and natural gifts with the puck, he's a savvy bet to help fill the void left by Matt Duchene's exodus. If he can rebound and raise his shooting percentage to normally sustainable levels, he may be the long-term 2C behind Pierre-Luc Dubois that Jackets fans always thought he would be.
After having a career year in 2016-17 with 59 points in 80 games, the Blue Jackets thought they had found their long-term offensive 2C, so they locked Alex Wennberg up until 2023-2024 for just a hair less than $5MM AAV. After a decent but somewhat underwhelming 2017-18 season, Wennberg endured a disaster of a 2018-19 season, seeing his shooting percentage crash to 3.1% and his point production crash by ten points, despite playing eleven more games than 2017-18. Wennberg was a healthy scratch for a few games during the season and simply looked out of place in an NHL lineup from an offensive perspective. That's not to say Wennberg isn't talented, of course, but the reality is that he had a disaster of an age-24 season, which does not inspire much confidence. Still, Wennberg's on-ice traits are quite strong. He has above-average puck skills and strong playmaking instincts, and he's capable of using his great skating to create time and space to set up teammates. Despite being a pass-first player with a below-average shot, he can still drive play from the center position and has legitimate upside to be a 10-15 goal, 55-65 point threat. Wennberg has good size and is a smart defensive player, capable of handling difficult defensive assignments and contributing with zone exits as well as board battles. He's not a Selke-level defensive force, but he's strong in his own end of the ice and is strong enough to remain in the lineup thanks to his defensive value even if he isn't scoring. Isolated impact metrics support these conclusions, measuring Wennberg as a strong driver of play at even strength and as a very capable defensive player and penalty killer. Since Wennberg has top prospect pedigree, a record of (inconsistent) success as an offensive play driver, and natural gifts with the puck, he's a savvy bet to help fill the void left by Matt Duchene's exodus. If he can rebound and raise his shooting percentage to normally sustainable levels, he may be the long-term 2C behind Pierre-Luc Dubois that Jackets fans always thought he would be.
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