Zach Werenski’s season was cut short with an abdominal hernia, but prior to his season’s untimely end, Werenski was easily the team’s best defenseman, surpassing the play of his more heralded partner.
Hearing a lot of “Jones’ numbers were only bad this year because the Blue Jackets were bad.” It’s an understandable assumption but it doesn’t really hold up. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/nv0uwgoGI2
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) May 30, 2021
Werenski remains an outstanding five on five offensive player, and his five on five defense has finally begun to catch up as he enters the prime of his career. Werenski notched 15 points at even strength this season in just 35 games; his total points at five on five were tied for seventh on the roster in the 15th most games played.
Werenski’s season, as mentioned was cut short by a surgery to repair an abdominal hernia.
Blue Jackets announce D Zach Werenski on is going on IR due to an inguinal/sports hernia and will have surgery next week. He’s done for the season.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) April 9, 2021
Werenski played through the hernia all season and underwent successful surgery on April 18 of this year.
2021 Stats
Games played: 35
Goals: 7
Assists: 13
Points: 20
Plus/minus: -9
PIM: 13
5v5 CF%: 50.2%
5v5 FF%: 50.2%
High Point
Werenski put up two points, tied for his season high, and scored the only game winning goal he had this season in a March 13 home win over the Dallas Stars. It was an overtime winner in the dying seconds, in the gorgeous reverse retros to boot.
Low Point
Besides hernia surgery, which sounds awful?
Werenski’s worst on-ice performance of the season came from a January 16 game at Bridgestone Arena against the Nashville Predators. Werenski went a team-worst -3 in 24:37 (the most time on ice by any Blue Jacket) as Nashville scored four third period goals to blast the Jackets 5-2 in the second game of the season. If only we saw the signs then.
Contract Status
Werenski is entering the final year of three year bridge deal that carries a $5 million per year cap hit. At the end of this deal, Werenski is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He will, if he so chooses, have the ability to sign a qualifying offer and walk in two years for nothing. He will be able, just as Seth Jones is now, to tell the team that he is not interested in signing a long term deal and force the team to deal from a position of weakness and continue the tradition of “star player leaves Columbus.”
Werenski holds the future of the club in his hands. A reload could, if executed properly and managed well, be in the cards if management so chooses to go that path. But, if Werenski elects not to sign long term, there is no getting around a rebuild – losing both Werenski and Jones is catastrophic to the immediate future of this team.
The Blue Jackets will either find a way to keep Werenski long term, or blow it up. Clock’s officially ticking.
Report Card
How would you grade Zach Werenski’s 2021 season?
| A | 23 |
| B | 58 |
| C | 14 |
| D | 2 |
| F | 1 |