San Jose Sharks
Wennberg Talks Healthy Competition With Misa for Minutes Next Year
Alex Wennberg had one of the best seasons of his NHL career.
His 55 points – with 18 goals and 37 assists – are the second highest of his career, following his 2016-17 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets where he finished with 59 points. And his 18 goals are the most of any season of his career.
He represented Team Sweden at the Olympics, and he served as a key part of the leadership group for the San Jose Sharks.
And yet, Wennberg still thinks he can get better: “I feel like I played some of my best hockey, for sure…this is the type of player I want to be and the kind of leader and show the younger guys the way I think we should play, as well. I’m happy with the way I played, and I feel like next year, it’s time to take another step as well.”
Wennberg spoke about competing with Michael Misa for the 2C role next year, Kiefer Sherwood joining the San Jose Sharks, the player he’s become since Columbus drafted him, and more.
On the San Jose Sharks turning into a destination now that he’s been here a couple years…
Even though when I signed here it was still in kind of like a rebuild, I wouldn’t sign if I believed we’re not pushing to be a playoff team or be contenders. The plan was always there, and I have fully trust in what we do and what we’re building on, but right now, we [took] a huge step, obviously, [in] what we’re trying to achieve. But for me, that’s the reason why I got brought in as well. Take the responsibility, be a leader here to the young guys and show what type of team you want to be.
This was always the dream for me to keep building and becoming the team we were trying to be. We started to see some progress, but the job’s not done yet. We still have a lot of work to do.
On what the signing of Kiefer Sherwood meant to the team…
It means a lot. Hell of a person. I’m playing on the same line [with him] as well…And then what he brings to the game, feisty guy, loves to hit, run around, and talks a lot on the ice, but I feel like you need that gritiness…We have a lot of skill…don’t get me wrong, but the way he’s affecting the game, with the physicality and show the emotions too, I think that helps the team as well to get that kind of player. So great guy, great player to get in.
On how the Sharks can cut down on goals against…
That’s something we need to improve. It’s a team collectively. Right now we have a good structure, but making a mistake, we expose ourselves a little bit and then obviously letting them score too many goals. To be a good team, you got to be consistent and play a 60-minute game and try to score more goals than the other team. So something we need to work on…with the team we have that we’re building, to get more experience, when it comes down to games to have the right puck management…So I feel like it comes a little bit by maturing a little bit. But other than that, we just got to believe in what we do as well.
On competing for the 2C role with Michael Misa next year…
Misa is a hell of a player. [His] rookie season, you can see even for him, he’s taken a huge step from when he first got here. As a center too, even though we’re competing against each other, we’re great friends [trying] to help each other out.
Even for Mack, he’s the player he is as well, but the experience I have hopefully can help both him and Misa evolve and become better as well.
But I’m not going to sit back and let him take it over. I’m going to put up the fight as well, because I think that’s what also makes teams become better. If I’m pushing to be the guy and push for a chance [for] that ice time, I’m going to do it as well. And hopefully he’s going to give me a hell of a battle, and hopefully he will beat me, but then I’ll come back even better.
On how he’s grown as a player since being drafted by Columbus…
It’s hard. If you ask me right now, the way I’m playing and how I feel with the confidence on the ice and the role I have, I feel like this is the type of player I want to be, and what I feel like fits me the best.
So a lot of different from when I first got into league, a lot of things has happened. But I mean, just the player I am, I feel like I want to be the guy where you can trust in the last 30 seconds to kill the penalty or score a goal.
So I want to be that kind of guy who can adjust and be ready for whatever. The role I have right now, and the trust I have from the coach as well, I feel like it’s just a great fit.
On how he’s feeling physically to end the season…
I feel great. Every time you end the season, right now you’d rather want to play. You feel a little bit sad at this moment, like how I feel as a player. I feel like some rest is going to do me well, for sure. But right now, it feels great. When you close down the book here, you’re going to see all the good parts of it. But right now, I would rather play than stand here with you guys.
See the full interview here
Was not expecting my quintessential example of the Sharks overpaying a guy to come to SJ to actually become a value deal and a very important part of the team for the next two years minimum. He’s been a great Shark, I’m a fan
No doubt. Especially loved the line where he says he hopes Misa beats him out for ice time. If that happens this team will be a wagon.
Plus, Wenny (due to his unselfishness) needs to shoot more, not unlike Jumbo near the end of the productive part of his career. Guys like this that are pass first, shoot second become that much more dangerous if they put a few more shots on net. I think Wenny (w/ the security of his contract) will only get better. His ability to control pucks is masterful.
If Bystedt breaks in next year, I think Wennberg is an excellent role model for him too. I agree his value will only increase, he has a lot left to give
Y’all way too attached to this guy. He’s about as creative as a rock with the puck. Celebrini helped him have a career year, and werny is undoubtedly a declining asset in the bottom 6. 10% of the cap on two bottom six forwards in wennberg and Sherwood is not good business.
You sir, are an idiot
Perfectly stated.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner…
https://youtu.be/uq-v1TTUyhM?si=9ZUJ5zbEamSIMuui
This is 100% spot on.
I’m honestly supportive of people having different opinions on stuff and not just huffing fumes on these guys, but this is just such a silly take on Wennberg. The center position is just so valuable and there are tons of teams that wish Wenny had been allowed to get to UFA or had at least been put on the trade market. He put up 55 pts and played the toughest matchups while also on the PK. In the rising cap era, that $6M is a complete bargain. By the way, your 10% of the cap number is true for next… Read more »
It’s ok man, you can say it’s a moronic opinion to put out there in the public. Really no other way to see it.
I know, but I also don’t want to discourage other people from posting, because the site is livelier with more active voices and it’s not just me and you grouching around like crotchety old phucks. If people think they will be listened to and not insulted for what they write, that’s a start. There’s certainly an infinite amount of things I don’t know about hockey, but I see asking questions and putting yourself out there as a sign of strength, not weakness. But when somebody has their arguments consistently deconstructed using readily available facts and yet continues to put a… Read more »
Lively and idiotic can exist without each other. Expecting a certain level of intelligence in a comment should be the goal. What that person posted was garden variety trolling. Fuck em.
Sure, he came out of the womb snake-bit, as I like to say, but he’s as savvy with the puck as anyone, and his skating is excellent. He makes incredibly heady plays with the puck in all zones. I’m not sure where you got that one—he rarely played with Mack, maybe only in 6-on-5 situations. I actually think that if he moved to wing and played with Mack, alongside a legitimate power forward, it could be one of the best lines in the game.
Agreed. If he actually did play with Cele 5v5 he probably puts up 70+ points.
What an absolute horrible take. Wennberg drives his own line, which Celebrini had nothing to do with. Wenny’s ability to gain control of the puck and keep it glued to his stick is almost second to none. He also consistently shows that he is one of the smartest players on the ice and makes others around him better! Warso trusts him in key moments in the game as well, which should say alot.
Your comment makes you sound like Wenny or Sherwood slept with your significant other and now you have huge grudge against them. Just an awful, awful take.
I had the same thought in regards to potential infidelity.🤣
Can you really blame anyone’s wife for wanting to sleep with Wennberg?