He earned it.
Zach Werenski was named Wednesday to Team USA's roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, a highly-anticipated international tournament between NHL players from the United States, Canada, Finland, and Sweden.
Werenski has long been in the upper echelon of NHL defensemen but is having a truly outstanding 2024-25 season. He has eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points through his first 24 games. The eight goals is tied for the most in the league by a defenseman.
He's on pace for 89 points, which would break the team record of 87 set by Artemi Panarin in the 2018-19 season.
USA's roster for the #4Nations Face-Off has landed! pic.twitter.com/DXeSBqLO30
— NHL (@NHL) December 4, 2024
Werenski is also the league leader in ice time averaging 26:06 per game – nearly 30 seconds ahead of any other player. He's been the catalyst for an upstart Blue Jackets team that, to this point, has surpassed expectations with a record of 11-10-3 entering Thursday's game in Edmonton.
The Z goal to make it 3-0 in favor of the #CBJ.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 29, 2024
Zach Werenski is now tied for the league lead in goals by a defenseman, and has extended his point streak to seven games.
Oh, sorry, that's Norris-candidate defenseman Zach Werenski.pic.twitter.com/WGYbCF0qnD
Last week, Werenski told NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika that he felt he'd done all he could to earn a selection from Team USA GM Bill Guerin, a decorated American hockey legend who also serves as GM of the Minnesota Wild.
“They have really good players to choose from,” Werenski said. “I don’t know how they’re going to build it. But if I make it, I’ll be one of the happiest people, and if I don’t, I’ll be able to sleep at night just knowing I gave everything I had and did everything I could.”
Team USA will play Finland on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. ET, then face Canada two days later on Saturday, Feb. 15. That game will also feature an 8 p.m. ET puck drop and both games will take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.
The third and final game of the round-robin tournament for Team USA shifts to TD Garden in Boston, where the Americans will face Sweden on Monday, Feb. 17 – also at 8 p.m. ET.
The championship game will be Thursday, Feb. 20 between the two teams with the best record during round-robin play.
Rules for the tournament will be the same as NHL rules, with a twist on how points are handed out: a regulation win will be worth three (3) points; two (2) points will be given for an overtime or shootout win, and one (1) point will be given to the loser of an overtime game or shootout loss. Regulation losses will be worth zero (0) points.
