If there’s one domain Emil Bemstrom is involved in in his new opportunity with the Blue Jackets, it’s defensive play.
After spending his first two NHL seasons betting on former coach John Tortorella, the 23-year-old Swedish forward feels he has a foundation forged in that aspect of the puck.
“Torts helped me a lot with that game,” said Bemstrom, who was retired from the Cleveland Monsters on Monday after his 14 problems in seven goals and seven assists that tied him for first place in American Hockey League scoring. “Defense comes first, then attack. That’s not the hardest part. I’m going to have that in my game because of Torts. Now it’s just the offensive games.
Bemstrom’s lack of production was the explanation for why he allowed resignations in the preseason and was assigned to the AHL with the Monsters. It’s not a big deal for many strikers his age, but it’s an obvious challenge for Bemstrom due to his good offensive fortune in each and every other position he plays in.
Bemstrom averaged more than one point consistent with the game of his junior career in Sweden. He also made it to the Swedish Hockey League in 2018-19 after the Blue Jackets settled on him in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, and scored 23 goals for Djurgardens to become the youngest player to lead his country’s most sensible professional department in that statistic.
Bemstrom also excelled at Finland’s most sensible professional circuit (Liiga) in 2020-21 with a loan deal with HIFK in Helsinki. He averaged more than one point consistent with the game at 8-9-17 in 16 games, which followed a 10-10-20 rookie for the Blue Jackets in 2019-20. That season was interrupted with a month remaining by the COVID-19 pandemic and the break was a bad time for Bemstrom, whose offensive skills were beginning to emerge.
His offensive aspect ahead of his defensive skills at that time and skated basically with the centers Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alexander Wennberg. Dubois now centers the trio of the moment of the Winnipeg Jets, after being traded in 2021 by Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic, and the centers of Wennberg. a first threesome for the Seattle Kraken that includes Oliver Bjorkstrand, whom the Blue Jackets traded after signing Johnny Gaudreau and re-signing Lainé in July.
Bemstrom hopes to find similar offensive chemistry this season with the Blue Jackets.
“That first year, before COVID hit, I felt like I was betting on smart hockey,” said Bemstrom, whose biggest focus in the NHL was a three-pointer in May 2021 against the Nashville Predators. “I was also able to play with very smart players, with (Dubois) and Wenny. I think when I play with smart game creators, I’m a very smart player. So I can’t do anything else to keep running hard and getting better, and I think I did a smart job the first month (in AHL).
Now that Joonas Korpisalo is back, the Blue Jackets have quality organizational intensity at the net.
Korpisalo, who earned an invitation to the 2019-20 NHL All-Star Game, is now the backup of Elvis Merzlikins, who struggles with a 2-5-0 record, a 4. 82 goals against average and a save percentage of Array863. Merzlikins and Korpisalo have shown top-notch potential since Sergei Bobrovsky left for the Florida Panthers in July 2019, and they also have rookie Daniil Tarasov in the system.
Tarasov and Korpisalo underwent hip surgeries in the spring, but neither has recovered. Having 3 goalies in the NHL provides valuable options for Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. and one’s desires can result in the movement of a Columbus goalkeeper.
Would Kekalainen settle for a bid for Merzlikins, who is in the first year of a five-year, $27 million contract?Or would Korpisalo be a more desirable target for a one-year, $1. 3 million contract that’s much less difficult to come by?Compatibility with the NHL cap?
Sean Kuraly suffered an upper body blow in Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Colorado Avalanche in Tampere, Finland. Half of the Jackets’ fourth trio is questionable for Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
If Kuraly were left out, coach Brad Larsen would have to improvise with an organization of wingers.
Normally, Justin Danforth would move to the middle, however, he is absent six months after the operation to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. The next features are likely to be rookies Kent Johnson, who saw limited time midway through the preseason, and Liam Foudy. , who has played slightly in the middle since his 2017-18 draft year with the London Knights. The Jackets also have a Saturday break to face the New York Islanders, which may require calling in an experienced midfielder, such as Cleveland’s Brendan Gance. .
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@BrianHedger