In professional sports, eternal optimism is a must. Balancing hopes with what`s real is also key.
It`s a tricky balance, one that experienced hockey leaders like Don Waddell, the Columbus Blue Jackets` general manager, handle all the time. While just being positive won`t guarantee wins, there`s always a chance a team or player might do even better than expected at the start of the season.
Waddell admits this is true for Columbus now. Surprisingly, the Blue Jackets, who weren`t doing well before, are still trying to get a playoff spot as the NHL season ends. This is largely thanks to Zach Werenski, their defenseman who`s been driving the team forward and making big plays.
Even Waddell didn`t foresee this level of success.
`I`d be dishonest if I said I thought Werenski would have such a great year,` Waddell told ESPN last month. `We hoped he could. And now it`s happening. The way he`s playing and leading our team, I don`t know where we`d be without him.`
Werenski understands why Waddell might have had doubts. He himself wasn`t sure he`d have such a successful season. But like Waddell, he believed he could achieve something like this, a season so impressive it`s getting attention across the league. Now, Werenski is seriously being considered for the Norris Trophy. In a recent poll by ESPN`s Greg Wyshynski, 48% of hockey writers voted him as the top choice.
It`s not just wishful thinking anymore. Werenski is truly exceptional.
`I feel like in the past, I kind of lost the idea of being talked about for the Norris,` Werenski said this week. `But now I`m playing at a level where people are mentioning me in that context, right?`
`I just want to help my team win. If that happens, then I`ll be in the same conversation as players like Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Rasmus Dahlin. I want to be seen as a top defenseman, and I think I`m starting to prove that.`
It`s a question of what comes first: Are the Blue Jackets doing surprisingly well because of Werenski, or is Werenski playing so well because Columbus is committed to this unexpected successful season?
Right now, it doesn`t matter. The Blue Jackets have a few games left to secure a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and make their first playoff appearance since 2019-20. Werenski, leading the team with 74 points in 75 games, will do everything he can to get them there. And if this effort gets him more Norris votes, that`s a bonus for this memorable season.
`It feels good,` Werenski said. `You don`t start the season expecting this. But it`s been a special year, and it`s been a while since Columbus has been in this position. If you told us at the beginning of the season that we`d be playing important games now, we`d be very happy. I think our team has really improved.`
JOHNNY GAUDREAU IS KEY to any talk about Columbus.
The Blue Jackets forward and his brother Matthew tragically died last August in New Jersey, their home state, hit by a driver suspected of being drunk while they were biking. This heartbreaking loss has shaped the Blue Jackets` season, both on and off the ice. The players share their grief and have been honoring Gaudreau`s memory throughout the season.
Waddell noticed how this shared experience brought his players closer. Because of this, he chose not to make big trades before the March deadline to keep their team chemistry.
`Considering what we`ve gone through this year, and how the guys have stuck together and played, I felt it was important not to trade anyone or bring in too many new players,` Waddell said. `This year is different. I might have made different choices if things were normal. But we also believed we had a good team based on how we were playing, so we didn`t want to change things too much. We`re having an amazing year given the circumstances.`
Waddell himself says Werenski deserves a lot of credit for Columbus`s improvement. Werenski has been a reliable player for the Blue Jackets, especially as they`ve faced many health challenges this season. Captain Boone Jenner missed 56 games due to a shoulder injury in training camp. Erik Gudbranson was out for 66 games after a shoulder injury in the season opener. Sean Monahan missed two months with a wrist sprain, and Kirill Marchenko was sidelined for a month with a broken jaw.
It`s hard to say how Columbus`s season would have gone if they had been fully healthy. Luckily, Werenski has mostly stayed healthy, which is rare. The 27-year-old has had his share of injuries, including a season-ending sports hernia in 2021 and a shoulder issue that kept him out for most of the 2022-23 season.
Werenski believes his past injury problems have affected how people see him. He was determined to change that.
So, Werenski worked hard. While some injuries were unavoidable, he decided to be more proactive after his last shoulder surgery. His new routine focused on soft tissue work, including stretching and hip mobility exercises. He started doing yoga, improved his diet, and prioritized sleep. It was a basic approach that has really paid off.
The last two seasons are the first since 2018-19 where Werenski has played in at least 70 games. This has allowed him to train properly in the off-season and prepare well. He`s learned a lot about himself in the process.
`I`ve realized that as I`m turning 28 this summer, it takes much more effort to get ready for the season than when I was younger,` he said. `I feel more focused in certain areas because of this. It`s not huge changes, but I`m trying to help myself. If something happens in a game that I can`t control, I can accept it. But injuries like groin or hip flexor strains frustrate me because they are often preventable.`
His improved approach is clear. Werenski has been dedicated to achieving and maintaining peak health. He used short, intense yoga sessions with Joga, a sports-specific yoga program, and worked with trainer Brian Galivan of GVN Performance in Michigan, where other NHL players like Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat also train. Their plans worked. Werenski had a career-high 57 points in 70 games in 2023-24, and he`s already surpassed that in what`s becoming his most productive season yet.
Currently, he`s second only to Makar in total points (74) among NHL defensemen, third in even-strength goals (14), and leads all defensemen in scoring per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (42). He`s also setting new records for Columbus. Werenski recently got his 260th career assist, passing Columbus legend Rick Nash for the most assists in franchise history.
Werenski always knew what he could do, but it just took longer to show it.
`Many questions about me were about my health. But I`ve always believed in myself,` he said. `I think I had a good offensive year last year. I was also healthy last summer. Past off-seasons with injuries have hurt my training and preparation. I think that`s partly why I didn`t have the success I`m having this year. But also, last year wasn`t where we wanted to be as a team.`
COLUMBUS FINISHED 2023-24 losing five of their last seven games and ended up 29th overall with a 27-43-12 record. Werenski felt he had a good season and improved. So, he played for Team USA at the IIHF World Championships and set his sights on making this NHL season a big one, for both the Blue Jackets and himself.
Werenski`s goals were to get into the Norris Trophy conversation and be selected for the USA team for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last February.
Both goals have been achieved.
`I wanted to be considered among the top defensemen again,` he said. `It`s hard to say, “Oh, I want to win a Norris,” right? Everyone does, and it might never happen for me, and I`m okay with that. I don`t really have personal goals like points or assists. I think those things just happen. But my other goal was to make the 4 Nations team, and that happened too.`
It was at the 4 Nations Face-Off that Werenski demonstrated his growth into a top defenseman. When Charlie McAvoy got injured, Werenski stepped up. He led all defensemen in the tournament with six points in four games, helping the USA reach the final (where they lost to Canada 3-2 in overtime).
That experience was a preview for the 2026 Olympics. The NHL hasn`t sent players to the Olympics since 2014, and after Werenski`s performance at the 4 Nations tournament, he`s likely to get a spot on the Olympic team for Milan.
Werenski is careful not to get too excited about the Olympics yet, saying, `there`s a lot of hockey before that.` But the 4 Nations Face-Off gave him something more immediate than future opportunities.
`It boosted my confidence, showing me I can play at this high level and make a difference,` he said. `As a player, you always have some doubts. You might wonder, “Is this season just luck? Do I really belong on this team? Can I play my best?”`
`I left the tournament thinking, okay, I can do this, I can compete, and I can play well. That was really rewarding after all the hard work over the years.`
His teammates at the tournament also saw this confidence. By the final game, they were full of praise for Werenski, who was anchoring the U.S. defense.
`It`s his confidence with the puck,` Matthew Tkachuk said about Werenski. `He`s everywhere on the ice, in a good way. He`s always in the right position, always leading the attack. That`s rare for a defenseman.`
`He`s the driving force for Columbus, and he`s been amazing this year. I love watching him play. We play differently and in different positions, but he`s become one of the most exciting players to watch.`
Werenski appreciates the praise but doesn`t let it go to his head. He`s aware that opinions and expectations can change quickly. But he also knows his value. He`s Columbus`s highest-paid player, in the third year of a six-year, $57.5 million contract. The Blue Jackets are counting on his best years now, and Werenski intends to deliver.
`I`m in my prime now. I`ve been in the league for nine years,` Werenski said. `I`ve put in the work. My success isn`t by chance. This level of play is now my standard for how I need to contribute to Columbus.`
His defensive partner, Ivan Provorov, isn`t worried. He`s seen Werenski dominate this season in a way that suggests even greater things are to come.
`I don`t think many people underestimate him anymore,` Provorov said, laughing. `He`s a fantastic player in every aspect of the game. He can move the puck, skate, and make plays. He`s crucial to our team. His stats speak for themselves. His ability to cover the ice and be everywhere is so important, and that`s why we trust him to take charge time and again.`
WERENSKI AND HIS TEAMMATES WATCH THE SCOREBOARD every night.
Columbus has been closely competing with the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers for the last playoff spot in the East. It was disappointing when Montreal won against Florida in overtime a few nights ago. But on the same night, the New York Islanders` loss to Tampa Bay was encouraging for Columbus.
Then, the Blue Jackets lost to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, while Montreal beat Boston. The Canadiens were pulling ahead, but still within reach for Columbus. Two losses over the weekend made it tougher.
That`s the emotional rollercoaster Werenski expects as the Blue Jackets approach the end of the regular season, hoping they can still make the playoffs.
Columbus might not get a playoff spot this season, leading to another early off-season. It would be disappointing, but it doesn`t feel as bad now. The Blue Jackets are just beginning to realize their potential.
`Our mindset will change after this season,` Werenski said. `We`re so close. We came into this year to see what kind of team we`d be. If we don`t make the playoffs this year, next year, we`ll come to camp expecting to make the playoffs. That`s our next goal.`
This isn`t just talk. The Blue Jackets have a promising young core with Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, and Marchenko, along with experienced players like Monahan, Jenner, and Werenski. These players are committed to Columbus for a reason.
There are also emotional factors.
The loss of Johnny Gaudreau motivates everyone in Columbus. He was as eager as anyone to see the Blue Jackets succeed. His jersey is prominently displayed in the team`s locker room. Werenski mentioned that many players wear the Gaudreau hoodies from the Stadium Series in March to the rink daily.
`We know how much he meant to this team and organization, and he`ll continue to influence us every day,` Werenski said. `We try to honor him by playing hard and enjoying the game, because that`s what he did.`
This is a close-knit group, like a family. They`re determined to show that their best days are ahead.
For Werenski, this belief has been a long time coming.
`We need to come into camp next year not just hoping to make the playoffs, but knowing we will,` he said. `We`ve waited too long to miss the playoffs. Now, our younger players are more experienced, and our veterans are also a year older, reaching a later stage in their careers with less time left.`
`I think our mindset is changing. This season has definitely given us more confidence, especially for next season, to say we`re going to make the playoffs.`
