![Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA defenseman Zach Werenski (8) looks on against Team Finland in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_142,w_4000,h_2250/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/118/01jxkapq6sjbtwdx88qj.jpg "Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA defenseman Zach Werenski (8) looks on against Team Finland in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images")
When Zach Werenski came out in game one this season and scored a goal, I had a strange feeling that this was going to be a legendary season for the long time Blue Jacket. Boy, was I right. He went on to have one of the best individual seasons in franchise history.
He ended up finishing the season with the best statistical season in franchise history for, at the very least, a defenseman, and probably the most impressive one relative to his position ever. The highly-skilled blue liner put up an otherworldly 23-59-82 line in 81 games played, becoming just the second player (Artemi Panarin, twice), and first defenseman, to average a point per game across an entire NHL regular season, even accounting for his single missed game during the campaign.
The advanced statistics, to no one's surprise, loved Z's game this season, but perhaps to the surprise of the Nashville Predators, his pairing with Dante Fabbro following Fabbro's acquisition off of waivers from the Predators became one of the best pairings in hockey.
Per Moneypuck, the Werenski - Fabbro pairing was 6th place in the NHL among all line combinations (defenseman and forwards) in expected goals for over their 1000+ minutes of time on ice together; posting an extraterrestrial 51.4 xGF over the campaign. Both of his regular pairings, with Fabbro and Ivan Provorov, were in the top 20 xGF per 60 minutes as well (all of these statistics per a minimum of 200 minutes TOI).
Just in the past few days, the accolades have racked up for Zach, and have become some franchise firsts. Zach became the first skater in franchise history to: be voted onto the NHL first All-Star team, and place second in the Norris Trophy race. He also became the first player since Sergei Bobrovsky in '12-'13 to place in the top seven of the Hart Trophy race (Steve Mason in '08-'09 came the closest to winning with 4th place).
So, what comes next following the best season of Z's career, albeit in one where the club failed to make the playoffs? The answer is just that: Zach is tired of the losing. He wants to make it back to the postseason and help lead a club into competing for the Stanley Cup. Following the team's late season success, and just missing out on the postseason by a handful of points, they seem poised to do just that.
Z has two more seasons left on his 6 year, $9.583m AAV deal he signed during the 2022 offseason. He's likely due to make around the same amount that he does now, if not a slightly increased salary as he enters his age 30 season in 2028.
I would hope that the club sees some postseason success in the next two seasons, and when he is eligible for an extension next offseason; he has a bevy of reasons to stay in Columbus. He is currently the face of the franchise, and one of the best skaters in the National Hockey League. We should do as much as possible to make sure he stays in the Union Blue for the rest of his career.