Stenlund has come a long way – Winnipeg Free Press

COLUMBUS — Kevin Stenlund cracked a smile when a scribe asked him whether he was expecting a ‘Welcome Back” tribute video on Thursday night.

“It would be pretty short,” he quipped.

Sure enough, there wasn’t one. True, he did only appear in 67 games spread over four season with the Blue Jackets, along with 141 contests for their American Hockey League affiliate in Cleveland. But it was still a homecoming for the second-round pick in the 2015 NHL draft, who started to find his footing here in Ohio before signing a free-agent deal with the Winnipeg Jets last summer.

“It’s a lot of feelings. Obviously I’m happy to be here,” Stenlund said following the morning skate at Nationwide Arena, the first one he’s done as a visitor. “A lot of memories to be coming back here.”

Not all of them pleasant, including an injury-riddled 2021-22 campaign in which he was limited to just three NHL games, with another 42 on the farm. But look at Stenlund now. The 26-year-old from Sweden has become a staple in the lineup, which might just be the most surprising development in a season that has been full of them.

“Well I’ve come a long way,” he said. “But it’s been a long journey.”

Stenlund wasn’t really even on the radar to make the Jets out of training camp, and he didn’t help his cause when he struggled to show the new coaching staff much of anything.

“We weren’t very impressed with him in training camp, and he knows it. He didn’t have a good training camp,” Bowness said earlier this week.

Ouch.

“But he went down, and Mark Morrison and his staff did a great job with him, they gave him a role, gave him an identity,” Bowness continued. “What he’s done is come up, and he’s done that for us, face-offs, penalty kill, he’s reliable. He’s a smart hockey player. We didn’t like the pace at which he played in camp, but he’s picked up his pace, so now everything else looks a lot better.”

Stenlund said part of that was just getting comfortable in a new hockey home, which included learning all new systems and teammates. And the other part was getting his pace back up to NHL-level.

“Well I think it’s easier to say how my game has evolved now,” said Stenlund. “I know my role. It’s easier to know what they expect of me every game. That makes it easy for a player when they know what you want to do.”

Stenlund skated in 19 games with the Moose at the start of the year, putting up four goals and 10 assists. He could feel his confidence growing with every game.

“I played a lot, and it helped me a lot. Just to be able to get ice time, get the feel of it again,” he said. “Obviously last season I had a tough season with injuries and stuff like that. So I think that got me going. I think it helped build my confidence, just to be able to do the stuff they wanted me to do and build from that. It’s a nice feeling. You go down you gotta make the best of it, play your game and hopefully get back up here.”

Then came the call he’d been hoping for, with the big club riddled with injuries that saw seven players sidelined at one point. He’s certainly made the most of the promotion. Only David Gustafsson remains on the injured list, but Stenlund remains in the lineup.

Players like Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Jansen Harkins and Kristian Reichel have been returned to the Moose, Michael Eyssimont was placed on waivers (and claimed by San Jose), and Karson Kuhlman and Sam Gagner have rotated being healthy scratches over the last two games.

“I can’t say enough good things about Stens and how he’s come up here and worked, from training camp and going through and getting sent down to having to work your way back up. He’s done everything that’s been asked of him,” defenceman Brenden Dillon said Thursday.

“He’s won faceoffs. He’s played a great defensive role. He’s a big body that plays hard and plays the type of style that’s been a compliment to our group. There’s a reason that he’s come up and been a staple in our lineup and a staple on the penalty kill, faceoffs — whenever he is needed. Just really doesn’t complain about whatever role that he’s in. A welcome addition and he’s a big part of our success.”

Maybe the biggest surprise of all is that Stenlund is now on the second power-play unit, along with the likes of Nikolaj Ehlers, Cole Perfetti, Neal Pionk and Nate Schmidt as a net-front presence.

“I played power play before in Columbus. I feel comfortable in that spot. It’s just fun to be a part of,” he said.

Stenlund has three goals and two assists through 27 NHL games this year, and Bowness believes there’s more to offer on the offensive side.

“I talked to him about this the other day, I still think there is more there,” he said. We’re going to keep pushing him because I do think there is more to offer there. I give him a lot of credit, and we’re going to keep pushing.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg

Mike McIntyre
Sports columnist

Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.

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