Alexander Wennberg ready for fresh start with Florida Panthers

On Sept. 1, 2017, the Columbus Blue Jackets locked up their top center with a six-year contract yet just three years later, Alexander Wennberg is now with the Florida Panthers.

Things definitely did not work out the way either side thought it would.

Wennberg was Columbus’ No. 1 center after scoring 13 goals with 59 points in a breakout 2016-17 season.

The Jackets’ first-round pick in 2013, it appeared Wennberg would center Columbus’ top line for years.

Soon, however, Wennberg started to struggle and rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois took his spot.

Over the ensuing three years, Wennberg’s stock in Columbus started to sink as he went from 59 points in the season prior to getting the big contract to a total of 82 in the following three seasons.

Two seasons ago, he ended up scoring just two goals with 25 points in 75 games (.33 points per game).

Last year, he had 22 points in 57 games (.39) but bounced back in the bubble, with three goals and five points in 10 postseason games.

“There are a lot of things that, I feel that the fit in Columbus just wasn’t there,” Wennberg said from his home in Sweden on Saturday morning.