It has been official for more than a month. Boone Jenner will no longer be a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, leaving them without a captain for the first time since the end of the 2020-21 season. Today, we'll speculate on the three most likely candidates.
We should start with the players who wore the "A" full-time last season. There were four players who rotated the honor, based on whether the team was at home or away. That included Zach Werenski, Sean Monahan, Erik Gudbranson, and Charlie Coyle.
I believe two of those players could be front-runners for the "C" next season. One of them would have been the obvious choice, but this summer has left his future in Columbus in question.
Zach Werenski
With Boone moving on, Zach Werenski is now the longest-tenured Blue Jacket. He's been with the team since 2016-17, which was his rookie season in the league.
He has played in 642 games wearing the Union Blue, and has come dangerously close to setting the team's single season scoring record in each of the last two seasons. This past year, he was named the NHL's Norris Trophy recipient, as the best defenseman in hockey.
With two years remaining on his contract, I was of the belief entering the summer that Zach would be this team's next captain. In fact, I had no doubt about it. Regardless the letter on the front of his jersey, this has felt like his team for at least two years running.
Unfortunately, this offseason has changed a lot of that perception. Before the NHL Draft, rumors began to swirl that Werenski was on his way out of Columbus. Those rumors were not dispelled by Don Waddell, and it did not take long for a rumored blockbuster deal to leak to the public.
While both the team and the player released statements after this series of events, the 5th Line is still left in limbo a bit. Does Zach really want to play here beyond the 2027-28 season?
If the answer to that question is yes, then the answer to the captain question has to be an emphatic yes. At this point in his career, I don't think it's a stretch to say that he's the best player to ever suit up in a Blue Jackets jersey. Yes, even greater than our beloved #61, Rick Nash.
If Zach Werenski wants to be a part of the winning formula here long-term as he said this week, hand him the reins to this team now. If that isn't the case, there are other options here. Lets talk about another on the next slide.
Add us as a preferred source on Google