Wennberg Excited To Join Rebuild, Get To Know Eklund Better

There are many things that excite Alexander Wennberg about joining the San Jose Sharks.

“I tried the rain in Seattle,” he joked first thing on Tuesday, “so I kind of look forward to try a little bit more sun on the West Coast this time.”

Wennberg, 29, signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Sharks on the first day of free agency.

The playmaking center has averaged over half a point per game over his career, scoring 91 goals and 244 assists in 712 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Seattle Kraken, and most recently because of a 2024 Trade Deadline deal, New York Rangers.

Wennberg shared other reasons why he’s excited to join the San Jose Sharks, from getting to be a leader in the rebuild, getting to know fellow Swede William Eklund better, and the advantage of playing with so many centers.

Wennberg, on if getting a complete No-Trade Clause in 2024-24 and 15-Team Trade List in 2025-26 helped make the decision to sign with the San Jose Sharks:

At the end of the day [with] hockey, family is what’s most important to me. It’s a great career choice for both of them, for my career and for our family.

It was kind of a crazy [trade] situation last year with Seattle with the wife that was 37 weeks pregnant. Of course, you have that in the back of your head, but I wouldn’t say that was what made me sign in San Jose. I would say it’s about what I think is best for my career and for my family.

Wennberg, on his excitement with being on the ground floor of a rebuild:

I feel like that’s something that both me and [ex-Rangers teammate Barclay Goodrow] can be a big part of. I think that’s a big reason why we’re here as well, to help young guys but also for ourselves. The opportunity for us is to take this team, obviously didn’t have the best year last year, so I think this time with the talent and with the players that we added, it’s looking really good.

That’s something I look forward to. Obviously, came to Seattle, we started a new organization from scratch and it was kind of like a similar situation in many ways, that young team coming in.

I’ve been in teams where you started from a rebuilding, you build on something, and it’s something that’s really exciting, to be a part of the journey. That’s why I feel like this could be something really good and why I’m so excited about it as well.

Wennberg, on the guys who mentored him when he was starting out in Columbus:

There were so many good guys. Cam Atkinson, Matt Calvert. [Nick] Foligno was a really good captain as well. Boone Jenner took me in and helped me out as well.

Ryan Johansen had some few things that helped me evolve my game a little bit.

There’s so many players from Columbus and other teams as well.

Wennberg, on seeing his fellow Swedes in August, when they start to train together in preparation for the new NHL season:

I know Eklund a little bit. I see him every summer and also played with his dad back in Djurgardens, what is it, 12 years ago? I reached out to him as well, kind of having a good laugh about it. But he’s just a great kid. Great player. Looking forward to get to know him a little bit better.

Wennberg, on the San Jose Sharks adding so many potential centers this off-season:

I always say it’s a good thing to have two centers on a line. Because at the end of the day, obviously someone starts as a center, but the game of hockey is so quick, you react, so if you start as a center and then end up as a wing, I feel like that’s something good. Because then, you can just feed off each other and help each other out.