Hot start has Bemstrom back with Blue Jackets, Marchenko on the rise
Now that he’s coaching, Mark Letestu has a different perspective on the American Hockey League.
“The thing about this league is that when they get good, you never see the finished product, right?” said the Cleveland Monsters assistant, who played in the AHL prior to an 11-year NHL career that included two stints with the Blue Jackets. “Everybody here is working on something. Even coaches. It really is the best league to have a lot of different experiences and situations thrown at you so you’re prepared for the next level.”
That’s a good jumping off point for an update on forwards Emil Bemstrom and Kirill Marchenko, who've torn it up in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters after being cut from Blue Jackets' opening roster.
Bemstrom, who was recalled to Columbus on Monday and has played 117 NHL games, is tied for the AHL scoring lead with seven goals, seven assists and 14 points. Marchenko, a Russian rookie who's adjusting to North America, is only two points behind with 6-6-12. They’ve also combined to score five of 10 power-play goals in just 10 games for the Monsters, whose 26.3% success rate is fourth-highest in the league.
“Those two guys are a big reason why that power play’s snapping it around like it is,” Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber said. “They’ve got NHL level talent on the power play and on the offensive side (at even strength), but they might not be on the power play and or playing in the top six (forwards) in Columbus. So, they’ve got to take care of the rest of the game.”
Emil Bemstrom battled to regain Blue Jackets roster spot
Bemstrom brought a good attitude to Cleveland, but he wasn't thrilled about his demotion.
The 23-year old Swedish winger spent his most recent AHL stint playing with a proverbial chip on his shoulder, which is good because he has something to prove in the NHL after totaling 36 points while struggling to stay in the Blue Jackets’ lineup. Bemstrom has succeeded as a top offensive player at every level he's played other than the NHL — including the Swedish Hockey League, Finnish elite league (Liiga) and AHL — but he’s been an enigmatic presence in Columbus since arriving in 2019.
That’s the biggest reason he was assigned to Cleveland to start out, after first clearing waivers.
“That exit meeting was just that some guys have passed me, like 'Danny' (Justin Danforth) and 'Chinny' (Yegor Chinakhov),” Bemstrom said. “I was competing against those guys and they had a better camp than me. I just have to keep finding my confidence ... and I have confidence. I know I can do good things in the NHL, as well.”
Danforth is now out sixth months following surgery to repair a torn shoulder labrum and the Jackets are dealing with two of upper-body injuries affecting forwards Jakub Voracek and Sean Kuraly — who caught an elbow to the head in the first period of the Jackets' 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday to conclude an NHL Global Series matchup in Tampere, Finland.
Re-enter Bemstrom, who's still looking for ways to unleash a right-handed shot that's served him well at every other level.
“I’m still young,” Bemstrom said. “I started playing hockey for a reason, because I think it’s fun. I’ve come a long way, so far, and I want to be in the NHL. If I keep doing the small things and keep producing down here, we’ll see what happens in the future.”
The Monsters’ coaching staff is impressed by Bemstrom’s approach to a difficult situation.
“It’s a blow to be told you’re going to the minor leagues because you’re not good enough … and that guys have passed you by,” said Letestu, who works with forwards and coordinates the Monsters’ power play. “His attitude’s been great, though, and his talent is coming through now, where he’s an elite offensive player at this level. We’ve been very lucky to have him, but with the way he’s playing … if he can find it up there, he’s an NHL player.”
Kirill Marchenko enjoying journey with Cleveland Monsters
Marchenko, 22, isn’t even thinking about Columbus.
He has fully embraced the reasons he was sent to Cleveland and is enjoying his North American adventure along with his wife, Viktoria, despite an AHL salary ($70,000) that’s miles from what he’ll make someday with the Blue Jackets.
“I (don’t) think about Columbus, because it’s my assignment to play in Cleveland,” said Marchenko, who is quickly picking up English and recently enjoyed his first NBA game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse when the Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Boston Celtics. “This is my team and now I live here, so it’s my hometown now. I know more teammates and coaches, all very good guys, and we just go play. I just keep working to win games, score goals and I don’t think about (the NHL).”
He may need to alter his thinking.
There are still things to patch up, including strength in puck battles, but Marchenko is picking things up quickly.
That’s especially true on power plays, where he’s playing on the right wall opposite Bemstrom. Along with connecting on passes to Bemstrom and others, Marchenko has also used his own shot to score two power-play goals and even has a play named after him.
“He is a hockey nerd and I mean that in the most endearing way,” said Letestu, who has noticed Marchenko trying out moves in practice that he’s seen on NHL Network. “Our first week, he came in, went through our power play meeting and suggested a play … and it’s already worked twice now. So, we just call it ‘The Marchy.’ That’s what I mean. He’s engaged here and I think that’s why he’s having the success he’s having.”
Marchenko has also endeared himself in the locker room.
“He’s a really awesome guy,” said Carson Meyer, who made his NHL debut last season with the Blue Jackets. “He wants to be fluent in English and he’s got a huge personality. He’s hilarious. It’s obviously tough coming to North America for the first time, with it not being your primary language, but he’s a character in the locker room and everybody loves him.”
Getting Marchenko the puck is never a bad idea, either.
“He’s got one of the best releases I’ve ever seen,” Meyer said. “Every time you give him a pass, you just watch him and think, ‘I might get an assist here.’ Every single time he shoots, it feels there’s a chance it’s going in. He’s an impressive kid, on and off the ice, and I’ve really enjoyed having him as a teammate.”
Bemstrom's release is pretty lethal too. He just needs to get it off from better locations more often against NHL goalies.
"Obviously, my shot is one of my biggest weapons, so we’ve been working a lot through these past three years of finding the space to work and find those scoring opportunities, like the ‘Grade As,'" he said. "So far (this season), I’ve been doing pretty good in that area.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Bemstrom, Marchenko pushing for look with Columbus Blue Jackets
