Bemstrom was designated for waivers by the Penguins on Friday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
Bemstrom played in 24 games for the Penguins last season, and he tallied three goals, two assists and 12 hits while averaging just 8:47 of ice time. Given his 228 games of NHL experience, mostly with the Blue Jackets, the 25-year-old center could be a strong candidate to be snatched off the wire, especially considering his minimal $775,000 cap hit.
... See More... See Less
Penguins' Emil Bemstrom: Ready to rock
Rotowire
Bemstrom (concussion) will be good to go for the start of training camp, the team announced Tuesday.
Bemstrom registered eight goals and eight assists in 56 games between Columbus and Pittsburgh before sitting out the Penguins' regular-season finale. With a clean bill of health, he will compete for a bottom-six spot with the team during camp.
... See More... See Less
Penguins' Emil Bemstrom: Staying put
Rotowire
Bemstrom (concussion) signed a one-year $775,000 with the Penguins on Monday.
Bemstrom became an unrestricted free agent after Pittsburgh declined to present him with a qualifying offer, but the two sides ended up agreeing to terms at the league minimum anyway. The 25-year-old had eight goals and 16 points in 56 contests between the Blue Jackets and the Penguins in 2023-24. If Bemstrom's healthy, he'll likely start the season in a bottom-six capacity.
... See More... See Less
Emil Bemstrom: Becomes free agent
Rotowire
Bemstrom (concussion) is an unrestricted free agent after Pittsburgh didn't issue him a qualifying offer ahead of Sunday's deadline, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports.
Bemstrom contributed eight goals and eight assists in 56 regular-season outings between the Penguins and Blue Jackets in 2023-24. He'll likely have to settle for a bottom-six role with a new team, and he could end up on a two-way contract.
... See More... See Less
Penguins' Emil Bemstrom: Diagnosed with concussion
Rotowire
Bemstrom suffered a concussion which sidelined him for the season finale against the Islanders on Wednesday, Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports reports.
Bemstrom will be a restricted free agent this offseason, so he'll likely be back with Pittsburgh for the 2024-25 campaign. In his 24 appearances with the Penguins this year, the 24-year-old center notched three goals and two assists while averaging a career-low 8:47 of ice time.
... See More... See Less
Penguins' Emil Bemstrom: Ruled out Wednesday
Rotowire
Bemstrom will not be in the lineup against the Islanders on Wednesday due to an undisclosed injury, Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports.
Bemstrom's brief time with the Penguins will come to an unfortunate end as he'll miss the season finale versus New York. Since joining Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, the 24-year-old center has recorded just three goals and two assists in 24 games while averaging 8:47 of ice time. With Bemstrom out of the lineup, either Jesse Puljujarvi or Radim Zohorna figures to suit up against the Isles.
... See More... See Less
Penguins' Emil Bemstrom: Ends goal drought
Rotowire
Bemstrom scored a goal in the third period during Monday's 4-2 win over Nashville.
Bemstrom's ice time has plummeted -- he's averaging just under nine minutes per game on the season, but he has been at 5:35 or less for the last four games. Fantasy managers won't find much opportunity for depth production here. Still, it's nice to see the Bemstrom tally after going six games without a point and collecting just a single goal with two assists in the 22 games prior to Monday's contest. He now has eight goals and 16 points through 56 games between the Penguins and the Blue Jackets this season.
... See More... See Less
Penguins' Emil Bemstrom: Scores goal in win
Rotowire
Bemstrom scored a goal on one shot in Monday's 5-2 win over the Rangers.
Bemstrom was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the previous three contests. The 24-year-old forward's tally ended a 15-game goal drought during which he managed just two helpers to go with 25 shots, 10 blocks and seven hits.
... See More... See Less
Penguins' Emil Bemstrom: Dealt to Pittsburgh
Rotowire
Bemstrom was traded from the Blue Jackets to the Penguins on Thursday in exchange for Alexander Nylander and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2026.
Bemstrom has 11 points in 32 contests for the Blue Jackets this season, giving him 69 points over 204 career NHL appearances. The 24-year-old winger has never really managed more than a bottom-six role, but the Penguins will bring him in with the hopes he can improve their scoring depth. Bemstrom will likely remain in a bottom-six role once he links up with Pittsburgh.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Grabs helper in win
Rotowire
Bemstrom posted an assist in Friday's 5-2 win over the Blues.
Bemstrom helped out on Adam Fantilli's go-ahead goal in the first period. Since he was recalled from AHL Cleveland earlier in the week, Bemstrom has three points over two appearances. The 24-year-old has an open trade request, but it's unlikely to be fulfilled while the Blue Jackets need him. He's produced seven points, 24 shots on net and a minus-5 rating through 14 NHL outings this season.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Notches two points
Rotowire
Bemstrom scored a goal on three shots and earned an assist in Thursday's 7-3 defeat to the Islanders.
Bemstrom broke out of a six-game goalless streak with his tally Thursday. If he continues to produce at a high level, he should avoid spending significant time in the minors and could top the career-best 22 points he put up last season.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Up from AHL
Rotowire
Bemstrom was called up by Columbus on Wednesday.
Bemstrom has 10 goals and 14 points in eight contests with AHL Cleveland this season. He's also recorded three markers and four points in 12 appearances with Columbus. Cole Sillinger (upper body) was placed on the injured reserve list in a corresponding move. Between Sillinger's injury and Eric Robinson being traded from the Blue Jackets to Buffalo on Wednesday, Bemstrom will likely draw into the lineup Thursday versus the Islanders.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Hot start with AHL Cleveland
Rotowire
Bemstrom has nine goals and 11 points in six games for AHL Cleveland since clearing waivers and being sent down by the Blue Jackets.
A fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Bemstrom has struggled to make an impact with Columbus, but the 24-year-old is too skilled to be in the minors -- in 31 career games for Cleveland, he's racked up 25 goals and 44 points. He might need a fresh start with another organization, but having already cleared waivers once, interest around the league would seem to be low. Per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Bemstrom will become a restricted free agent next summer.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Designated for waivers
Rotowire
Bemstrom was placed on waivers by the Jackets on Wednesday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
Bemstrom's potential demotion to the minors, assuming he clears, comes as a bit of a surprise considering Jack Roslovic (ankle) is not expected back until mid-December. For Thursday's matchup with Arizona, Mathieu Olivier could be an option with Bemstrom in the minors or the team could bring Kent Johnson back from the AHL.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Lights lamp twice on power play
Rotowire
Bemstrom scored two power-play goals in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Canadiens.
He fired home a one-timer from the top of the faceoff circle in the first period before tapping home a slick pass from Jack Roslovic in the second to give his squad a 3-1 lead, but the Blue Jackets couldn't make it stick. Bemstrom was held without a point through his first four games of the season, but he's now found the back of the net three times in the last two, with all three tallies coming on the man advantage. The 24-year-old's fantasy value will be tied to his spot on the first power-play unit, which could disappear as soon as Patrik Laine (upper body) is ready to return, but Bemstrom should have some short-term appeal in deeper formats.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Good start to preseason
Rotowire
Bemstrom has scored two goals, including one on the power play, and added an assist in two preseason games as he fights to secure a spot on the Blue Jackets' Opening Night roster, Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch reports.
The 24-year-old winger hasn't been able to develop into a consistent offensive force in the NHL since his arrival in 2019-20, although he did manage a career-high 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 55 games last season. The Blue Jackets' crowded forward group could push Bemstrom off the roster for Opening Night, especially if new head coach Pascal Vincent doesn't see him as a defensive fit for fourth-line duty.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Logs two points Tuesday
Rotowire
Bemstrom tallied a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 7-6 overtime win over the Capitals.
Bemstrom set up Adam Boqvist's tally in the second period before scoring a goal in the third, tying the game 5-5 with a one-timer off a Patrik Laine feed. Bemstrom had just one point (an assist) in his previous five contests. The 23-year-old winger is up to six goals and 19 points through 43 games this season.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Two points in OT loss
Rotowire
Bemstrom scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Tuesday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Penguins.
Bemstrom's first multi-point effort since Jan. 5 and first goal since Dec, 31 helped give the Blue Jackets a 4-0 lead early in the second period which they somehow squandered, although if they wind up landing Connor Bedard in the draft, lost points like this may end up being crucial. On the season, Bemstrom has five goals and 16 points through 37 games, and his bottom-six role at even strength and second-unit power-play duty on one of the league's weakest offenses don't carry a lot of fantasy appeal.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Picks up assist Sunday
Rotowire
Bemstrom recorded an assist in Sunday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Wild.
He has yet to find the back of the net in 2023 -- his last tally came Dec. 31, and his goal drought now stands at 24 games -- but Bemstrom has managed a modest three helpers in the last six games. As long as he remains in a bottom-six role on a poor Columbus offense, the 23-year-old has little fantasy appeal.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jackets' Emil Bemstrom: Pair of assists in loss
Rotowire
Bemstrom registered two assists in Thursday's 6-2 loss to the Capitals.
Bemstrom had a part in both of Columbus' goals Thursday, forcing a turnover that set up Johnny Gaudreau's tally in the first period before adding a second helper on Gavin Bayreuther's goal in the second. Bemstrom has been effective since he was recalled by the Blue Jackets on Dec. 29, logging two goals and two assists in four games. With Columbus struggling, the 23-year-old winger could see an extended look on the top line alongside Gaudreau and Kent Johnson.
