In the leadup to training camp in September, BlueJackets.com is featuring CBJ players each weekday this summer.

Zach Werenski

2023-24 Stats

How he got here: A standout player growing up in the Detroit area, Werenski was long ticketed for the NHL, showcasing enough promise to be part of the U.S. National Team Development program. After a year there, he moved to the college ranks at age 17 and spent two seasons with the University of Michigan, earning All-America honors. Columbus made him the eighth overall pick in the 2015 draft, and Werenski hasn’t disappointed, rewriting the CBJ record books and becoming the first defenseman in franchise history to reach 300 points in his career while earning a pair of All-Star bids thus far. His 90 goals in the eight seasons since his NHL debut are seventh among league defensemen in the time span behind only Roman Josi, Brent Burns, Dougie Hamilton, Victor Hedman, John Carlson and Alex Pietrangelo.

The 2023-24 season: Coming off of season-ending shoulder surgery that limited his 2022-23 campaign to just 13 games, Werenski largely stayed healthy throughout the year and turned in one of the best seasons for a defenseman in franchise history. His 57 points tied Seth Jones’ single-season franchise record by a blueliner, while his 46 assists set a new CBJ mark. In a season in which the Blue Jackets had 10 defensemen play at least 10 games, Werenski was the usual standby at the blue line, capable of leading the way in every situation.

Top moment: Werenski certainly went out with a bang in the season finale April 16 against Carolina, posting the third four-point night of his career with two goals and two assists. Before the game, retiring play-by-play man Jeff Rimer predicted Werenski notch four points to reach Jones’ record, and the CBJ defenseman assured it by scoring his second goal of the game in the final minute of Rimer’s tenure.

Fun fact: The son of a police chief in suburban Detroit, Werenski has taken an active role in meeting with law enforcement agencies in Columbus over the past few seasons to show his support. He also sponsors the a suite at each game that welcomes in fans from different backgrounds, part of what has made Werenski the Blue Jackets Community MVP for the past two seasons.

Stats to Know: With someone like Werenski, there are so many statistics that jump out that it’s hard to pinpoint a couple. But he did lead the league among defensemen in two categories, including . In addition, he led all blueliners with 1.44 assists per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 while finishing second to Colorado’s Cale Makar in points per 60 at 5-on-5 with 1.79. When it comes to production, Werenski was as good as anyone a year ago.

Expectations for 2024-25: If the Blue Jackets are to make a major step forward in the standings this upcoming season, getting Werenski at his best would be a major part of the equation. One of the team’s leaders in every way, Werenski is an All-Star talent on the blue line and consistently one of the most productive defensemen in the game. Now in the prime of his career, Werenski will be expected to carry the load in just about every situation; it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him turn in one of the best campaigns in his career.