2022 Season Preview: Zach Werenski
By Curtis Deem
Zach Werenski, 6-2, 213 pounds
July 19, 1997 (25 years old)
Drafted 1st round (#8 overall), 2015 NHL draft
Cap hit: $9.583M through 2027-28
Role: #1 Defenseman
Zach Werenski emerged from the shadow of Seth Jones and proved to the NHL that he can be a #1 defenseman last season. The two were arguably one of the best pairings in the entire league for several seasons, capable of playing all situations and giving the team some offensive pop. But Werenski was always viewed as the #2 guy … the Oates, or Garfunkel of the pairing, if you prefer.
Werenski was taken eighth overall at the 2015 draft – a draft we now know as one of the best in history. He’s more than lived up to his expectations, already holding several marks in the CBJ record books just six seasons into his career. Over 403 games played, he has 76 goals and 237 points, while maintaining a respectable +/- ratio of -2. I won’t go as far as saying that he’s an elite defender, but he has improved vastly over his career and does hold his own – but it’s in the offensive zone where he makes the biggest difference.
He’s a deadly shooter who does a terrific job finding lanes to the net, whether he’s looking for a long-distance shot, or a skating lane to put himself into better position. He doesn’t often wind up for the big slap shot, instead using his quick-release wrist shot to catch goaltenders off guard. For the Blue Jackets, he was not only their only All-Star selection this past season; he’s become a young leader and a core player.
Three Keys to Success
- Stay healthy. Werenski has played a full 82 game season just once in his career. Every other season has seen him miss time – including 14 games in 2021-22. If he can stay in the lineup for the entire season, he gives the team a 25 minute per game rock on the back end.
- Find a partner. While Andrew Peeke played well above his reach last season and did a nice job, the team needs to find a long-term partner for the right side of the top pair. Maybe he’s in the system now (Jiricek?) … but I don’t think that kind of player is on the roster this fall.
- Just be Zach. We don’t need him leading the team in hits or blocked shots. For the love of all things mighty, we don’t want him fighting or catching pucks with his face. Just keep the defensive zone coverage simple, and do his thing in transition and offensively.
2022-23 Expectation: Lead the way from the back end.
You need leaders at both ends of the ice to be successful. Much like we discussed with Johnny Gaudreau; Werenski has to set the example for the Blue Jackets, but from the blue line. I don’t think we can set production expectations for him to be successful because a big part of his grade will depend on being a defenseman. But, he’s talented enough to defend effectively, and produce big numbers offensively. His career high in goals (20) and points (48) are a pretty good base line for what we can hope to see. Neither of those marks were set with a full 82 games played. If he stays healthy, I’m almost certain he can meet or exceed both marks.