Alexander Wennberg has heard it all.
Doesn't shoot. An over-passer. You name it. But when he faced the media Wednesday night after scoring his first goal of the season in the Columbus Blue Jackets' 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars, he treated it like business as usual.
While some may not realize the gravity of this goal, Blue Jackets fans understand the context here. It's been a while, folks. A long while. It was Wennberg's first even strength goal since Mar. 20, 2018. That’s a 575-day drought.
WALK THAT WALK, WENNBERG.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/UOpo27QJaq
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 16, 2019
“It’s a little bit of luck, too," Wennberg said. "Savvy (David Savard) had a shot, it went right to me and what happens happens."
Wennberg offered a glimpse of how he wants to play in the offensive zone, which hasn't been omnipresent in recent years.
“I try to work hard. I try to move my feet and keep the D on the outside,” Wennberg said. “I try to get into the scoring opportunities and, like I said, I try to shoot more and I get rewarded for it.”
He and his linemates, Nick Foligno and Oliver Bjorkstrand, have built some chemistry in the process.
“We read off each other really good,” said Wennberg. “We had a lot of opportunities.”
With four points in six games, Wennberg currently leads the Blue Jackets in scoring. Only time will tell if Wennberg can fully recapture the scoring potential evident from his 59-point season just three years ago, or if his play will recede after this encouraging start to 2019-20. But so far, so good – and he's been helping the Blue Jackets win games.
For the Blue Jackets’ playoff chances, the hope is the former.
