Slick-passing Wennberg aims to be more active
The puck popped free inside the blue line, preventing the Dallas Stars from clearing their zone late in the second period.
Nick Foligno got to it first, swept it back behind the net and then skated into the left circle with his stick cocked for a one-timer. The Blue Jackets captain saw who lurked behind the Dallas net, center Alexander Wennberg, and knew he had better be ready to shoot.
“I knew he was down there, and when I know Wenny’s going, he’s slippery like that,” said Foligno, who unloaded on Wennberg’s backhand feed to put the Jackets up 3-1 in a game they won 4-1 on Tuesday at Nationwide Arena.
“He makes those plays where he can Blue Jackets center Alexander Wennberg, left, has seven points this season, all coming on assists, in 15 games.
just 1-on-1 a guy in the corner and get out of it, and then he just makes a great pass. I was able to do the rest, but that all starts because of him.”
Wennberg’s seventh point also was his
seventh assist, putting him on pace for 38 assists when projected over 82 games. He hasn’t scored a goal yet, but goal scoring really isn’t his thing.
Those happen occasionally, here and
there, but Wennberg’s biggest strength is exactly what he did on that goal by Foligno. He is an offensive spark plug, with a keen eye for making plays and the hands to get it done.
The issue is his feet, which tend to make him invisible whenever they stop moving.
“His biggest asset is his passing and seeing the ice, but he has to take things to areas to have people draw to him and open up from there,” coach John Tortorella said. “I think that’s the best assessment I can give you, and it’s one of his biggest strengths. But he needs to be in those situations more.”
Wennberg knows it too. This is his fifth NHL season, and he has wrestled with that issue in all but one — a breakout season in 2016-17 with career highs in goals (13), assists (46) and points (59).
“For me personally, it’s been some good games and some games I’m not involved at all, so you’ve just got to find some consistency and play at the same level,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’m far away from where I want to be, but it’s been a problem in the past, too. You’ve just got to find a way, but I feel like it’s there. I’m just going to try and bring it more.”
If he can, consistently, it would boost the Blue Jackets’ scoring output. They are ranked 10th overall in scoring at 3.32 goals per game but that could climb even higher if Wennberg heats up.
That remains the goal, with the solution staring up at him the whole time.
“Move your legs and get aggressive,” Wennberg said. “It’s all over the ice, in the (defensive zone) or wherever, if you move your feet, you end up in situations earlier than if you stand still and read the game. So, that’s what I’m thinking more is just, ‘Move your feet.’”