COLUMBUS, Ohio - Making the team out of training camp says good things about a player. Passion for the game, hard work and skill earned rookie Alex Wennberg a spot on the roster for opening night.
But now, 15 games into the season, the team is mired in a nine-game losing streak and young Wennberg is still without a goal to his name. He's 0-2-2 in 14 games, although he's averaging 14:42 time on ice per game.
He's had some ups and downs as he adjusted to the smaller North American ice sheets. In danger of being sent down to the AHL, he remained up with the Blue Jackets due to the plethora of injuries that have plagued the team.
Since that time almost three weeks ago, he's stepped up his game and is becoming a better two-way player.
"Yeah, absolutely," said Wennberg. "I feel like I'm playing better every game. Obviously we haven't had the results that we want. There are still some pieces missing from my game, though."
He has been gaining more confidence with each game, culminating with the way he played in the last loss to Washington. Despite dropping the game 4-2, he seemed to fit right in with the way the team played in the second and third periods. In other words, he embraced their identity.
He was credited with two hits and one shot in 13:55 of ice time on Tuesday. But you could see it when the team got in a rhythm, fore-checking and cycling the puck suited his game to a "T."
Now, about that scoring his first goal in the NHL thing.
"Obviously, it's in the back of my mind," he said. "Of course I want to score my first goal. That's a big thing. But for me, right now, I'd rather see the team get back on a winning streak. It doesn't matter who scores. This is a team sport.
"It doesn't matter if I score goals and we still lose the game. Obviously, if I scored it would help the team out. But right now, the team will always come first."
What about Bob?
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky took part in practice with his teammates Thursday and will make the trip to Philadelphia for the game Friday night versus the Flyers. He's been on Injured Reserve with a fracture on his glove hand since October 28.
"I talked with Bob a little bit," said Todd Richards, "and I can't rule him out of playing. There's still a possibility."
This and That...
Center Artem Anisimov will also make the trip to Philadelphia with the team. Richards said pending discussions with trainer Mike Vogt and Anisimov(also passing NHL concussion protocol), he's a possibility to play.
Forwards Jack Skille and Matt Calvert, both with upper-body issues, will not make the trip to the City of Brotherly Love with the team.
Defenseman Jack Johnson is back in the lineup after serving a three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Carolina's Jiri Tlusty. Sitting and watching his teammates extend their losing streak was tough for Johnson: "It's tough because you're perfectly healthy and you don't feel like there's a reason you should be sitting out. That part of it is hard."
With Johnson drawing back in, Todd Richards said that Frederic St. Denis is the likely scratch for Friday's game.
