The Columbus Blue Jackets are looking for a boost from their defense this season. By now you know they allowed a franchise-high 297 goals in 2021-22.
Zach Werenski enters the first season of his new six-year extension signed last summer. Still just 25 years old, Werenski is already going into his seventh season and he's been everything and more for the team.
In his first season without Seth Jones last year, Werenski had to adjust to being the primary focus on the blue line while taking on new responsibilities as an official alternate captain and learning Brad Larsen's system.
Werenski still produced the scoring numbers you've come to expect, setting career marks in points (48) and assists (37), while scoring at least 11 goals for the fifth time in six seasons. Since his league debut in 2016-17, the two-time All-Star is 17th among all defensemen with 237 points, seventh with 76 goals, and 22nd with 161 assists.
His GF/60 (2.32) at 5v5 was down slightly but he played his second-fewest games—not including his 35 games played in the 56-game season of 2020-21—when he played in 68 games in 2021-22. With the overall team defense suffering, the individual stats don't look good, as his GA/60 (3.37) and xGA/60 (2.88), both at 5v5, were the worst of his career. These stats are per Natural Stat Trick.
As we've already laid out, Werenski's offense isn't an issue and as you can see per Evolving-Hockey, the defense over the previous three seasons can improve.
Zach Werenski, Evolving-Hockey
The below chart is from 2021-22. In the 2020-21 shortened season, his defense was graded at 57 for the prorated portion of the season.
Zach Werenski, Evolving-Hockey
Whether or not Werenski and the defense make leaps and bounds of improvement, you can hope for some of those deficiencies to be shored up.
Last season was also the first for the Blue Jackets in Brad Larsen's system, which was certainly more high-event and high-flying than we're used to seeing since the defensive-oriented John Tortorella days.
Aside from everyone gaining one year of experience, the only notable acquisition on the blue line was Erik Gudbranson. Otherwise, the team will need to take that defensive step in order to have a chance to contend in the Eastern Conference. Werenski is that guy offensively, but defensively, he can still take a step as well as the collective unit on the whole.
Perhaps another recent acquisition could be one to lend a helping hand?
Coby Maeir wrote about the possibility of 2022 draftee David Jiricek making the team sooner than anticipated. That would certainly make for intrigue, and interesting possibilities for defensive pairings, if that came to fruition.
