When the Blue Jackets were sorting through their options before the 2015 NHL Draft, they had settled on one thing: regardless of the trade(s) proposed to them, they didn't feel comfortable doing anything that took them out of range to pick University of Michigan defenseman Zach Werenski.
He was one of the top players on their pre-draft board and their scouts loved him; his size, skating, offensive instincts and complete game gave them confidence that he was a "pillar" type of player, and could be in the very near future. Turns out, they were right; the Blue Jackets declined trade overtures and stayed put at No. 8 overall to take Werenski and begin rebuilding their defense.
Jarmo Kekalainen's reaction in this video says it all:
Following his rookie season, it's safe to say Werenski is the club's franchise player and No. 1 building block as they look to move forward after a 108-point season.
What did we expect?
Tricky question, isn't it?
We expected a lot, quite honestly. Those who watched Werenski in the Calder Cup playoffs last spring saw what he could do; he elected to leave college early, sign with the Blue Jackets and report to the Monsters on a tryout agreement because he wanted the valuable experience with Cleveland. His dominant playoff performance opened everyone's eye -- including those of head coach John Tortorella -- and made it clear he would be a person of interest once training camp began in September.
What did we get?
One of the most impressive rookie seasons in Blue Jackets history. No big deal.
In 76 games, the 19-year-old Werenski scored 11 goals and 47 points to lead a defense that took on a whole new look in 2016-17. Those are all new franchise records. Along with partner Seth Jones, Werenski helped transform the Blue Jackets into an aggressive, puck-transport team that pushed the pace and put opponents on their heels early in the season.
Tortorella didn't ease Werenski into it, either; he played 20-plus minutes on a regular basis and was the team's power play quarterback for most of the season. The Blue Jackets were a power play juggernaut early on but faded in the second half, but Werenski's vision and seeing-eye shot created all kinds of havoc when they operated at nearly a 30% clip in November and December. At times, it felt automatic.
Unfortunately, his postseason was cut short by a scary facial injury in Game 3 against the Penguins, but Werenski was deservedly named a finalist for the Calder Trophy.
| GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | GWG | OTG | S | S% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGULAR SEASON | 76 | 11 | 36 | 47 | 17 | 14 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 188 | 5.9 |
| PLAYOFFS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7.1 |
Memorable Moment
Werenski's first career Stanley Cup playoff goal was so precise, no one (except he and his teammates) could figure out it went in:
Contract Status
According to CapFriendly.com, Werenski has two seasons remaining on a three-year entry level contract that pays a base salary of $925,000 per season. He's eligible for up to $850,000 in performance bonuses.
| GRADE | A |
