As the 2016 IIHF World Championship has come and gone, Blue Jackets participants now have a long offseason to look forward to. Before the dust settles, I want to take a look at the tournament that was for the lucky players who took part in it.
1. Sergei Bobrovsky may have his swagger back
After a down year, Bobrovsky could have easily packed his bags and put in a real stinker of an effort this tournament. Like he has done at times, Bob came out and was the force we have come to expect.
Bobrovsky ended his tournament with a .931 sv% and was third in saves with 203. Putting these numbers into context, Bobrovsky was a top three goalie and was one of the best players on a very talented Russia squad. People may be doubting him going into next year, but those doubters will be facing an uphill battle.
2. Alexander Wennberg is about to have a breakout year
Only a few years removed from being a first round draft pick, it seems like Wennberg has always been on the Blue Jackets. He is a key component to the team and has been improving at a rapid rate. He is right on the edge of a breakout season. Are we about to see Wennberg ascend into a first line center role?
Playing on a line with a red hot Gustav Nyquist, Wennberg was in the passenger seat on a fantastic line. He wasn’t just along for the ride though, he was quite the contributor. Wennberg ended the tournament in sixth place for assists with seven total. Surrounded by names like Connor McDavid and Dylan Larkin on the tournament leader board is definitely not bad company to keep. His rise will continue to be an interesting topic to follow but for now let’s just admire what he was just able to accomplish in this short tournament.
3. Could Ryan Murray potentially be underrated?
As far as first pairing defensemen go, Ryan Murray is pretty unassuming. On a pairing with Seth Jones, he did very well and continued to see growth as the year progressed. Finally getting a healthy spell, an opportunity to play for Canada was something he couldn’t possibly pass up.
While only third on Canada in defenseman in scoring, he was still tied for fifth in overall defenseman scoring with five points. Not many people will notice this stat line in future years, it just goes to show how under the radar he is in the NHL. Playing with Ryan Ellis of the Nashville Predators had to be quite the learning experience for him and a great example to learn from moving forward. It is only a matter of time till he gets the recognition that he deserves.
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