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