The Blue Jackets offensive are in need of some offensive firepower after forwards Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene joined new clubs via free agency.
It only took 52 seconds for Emil Bemstrom to blast a one-timer into the back of the net on the power play in front of a home crowd at Nationwide Arena in the first game of the preseason for Columbus.
FIRST GOAL OF THE PRESEASON GOES TO @BEMSTROM_EMIL!
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) September 17, 2019
1-0, #CBJ pic.twitter.com/wr0aCs5SME
"I have been practicing a lot. These one-timers," Bemstrom said when speaking with the media on Thursday. "I usually go...after practice and do like 10 or 20 one-timers with some other friends on the ice."
The 20-year-old Swede has a knack for scoring and isn't afraid to let it rip when he has the chance.
"In Sweden you, you're almost like looking for pass every time. But here you, you know it's gonna be tough for the goalie when you shoot from everywhere," Bemstrom said. "So I try to shoot as much as I can and we'll see how that goes."
Bemstrom's ability to score and be a threat on the power play are what makes him a serious threat to make the lineup on opening night. We'll just have to wait and see if Bemstrom does in fact get to be on the team from the get-go in 2019.
