Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering: NHL greats weigh in on Zach Werenski’s season, streak
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A collection of notes, insights, ruminations and did-you-knows gathered throughout the week that was for the Columbus Blue Jackets:
Zach Werenski accelerated through the left circle as he gathered a pass from Luca Del Bel Belluz. His wrist shot sailed into the far corner of the net, giving the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
This marked the 19th consecutive game at Nationwide Arena where Werenski has registered at least a point, setting a franchise record. Impressively, only three defensemen in NHL history have had longer point streaks at home: Bobby Orr (25 games in 1974-75 and 21 in 1970-71), Paul Coffey (23 in 1985-86), and Phil Housley (22 in 1991-92).
In recent home games, he has surpassed the streaks of legendary defensemen Brian Leetch (18 in 1991-92) and Ray Bourque (17 in 1992-93). This streak is the longest in the NHL over the past 33 seasons.
Werenski’s outstanding performance is part of what has been the best season of his career. Among defensemen, he is tied for the most goals (16) with Cale Makar and leads in points (54) with Quinn Hughes. Discussions surrounding the Norris Trophy, awarded to the league’s top defenseman, are heating up, and at this rate, he could also earn votes for the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP.
However, Werenski prefers not to focus on individual accolades, as he wishes to keep the attention on the entire Blue Jackets team during their playoff chase.
The Athletic reached out to notable figures like Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, and Brian Leetch for their insights on Werenski.
Bourque, a five-time Norris Trophy winner and the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history with 410 goals and 1,579 points, remarked, “The true No. 1 guys… there aren’t many. But (Werenski) is a true No. 1.”
Leetch, who ranks second among American-born defensemen in scoring and has won two Norris trophies, shared, “He’s fun to watch because he’s so dominant even in his own end. The goals are awesome, and scoring goals as a defenseman is not easy.”
Coffey, a three-time Norris winner, added his admiration for Werenski’s puck movement. “You want to see consistency from year to year. I hope this isn’t a one-off for him. He’s going to get some votes this year for the Norris, and that’s great.”
The Blue Jackets general manager, Don Waddell, believes in allowing young players to spend time in the American Hockey League (AHL) before transitioning to the NHL. This was the reasoning behind defenseman Denton Mateychuk starting the season with AHL Cleveland.
Mateychuk, the No. 12 pick in 2022, played 27 games in Cleveland, scoring 9 goals and 16 assists while earning a plus-5 rating. His performance led to his arrival in the NHL, where he has continued to impress.
Waddell stated, “He’s going to be here (in Columbus). We’re really happy with how Denton’s played, and we’re looking forward to keeping him for the rest of the year.”
Mateychuk, now 20, has been a key player on the left side of the second pair. In 13 NHL games, he has tallied 1 goal and 2 assists, along with an average ice time of 18:02.
Reflecting on his experience, Mateychuk said, “I feel like it’s been good. I’m just trying to learn every day and get better. It’s the little details that become that much more important.”
The Blue Jackets marked the weekend with a series of positives. Captain Boone Jenner participated in Saturday’s morning skate, making strides in his recovery from shoulder surgery. He is expected to gradually increase participation in practice over the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, center Cole Sillinger, who has been out with a bruised hand, may return during the upcoming road trip. Unfortunately, Sean Monahan is sidelined for an extended period with a sprained wrist, resulting in a decision to allow complete recovery until mid-to-late March.
Del Bel Belluz, called up from AHL Cleveland, has made a solid impact, contributing 3 goals and 5 assists in his first 10 NHL games, just shy of Werenski’s record in his debut season.
Sunday Gathering Trivia: After a plus-1 rating in Saturday’s win over Los Angeles, Marchenko leads the NHL with a plus-29 rating through 50 games. Can you name the Blue Jackets player who holds the single-season franchise record for best plus-minus rating?
As the team enjoys a rare break with consecutive days off, the coaching staff is taking advantage of the downtime after a packed schedule of nine games in 15 days. “It’s fantastic, just mentally,” coach Dean Evason remarked.
In notable achievements, Blue Jackets prospect Nolan Lalonde had a standout week in the Ontario Hockey League. He was named the league’s goaltender of the week after two consecutive shutouts, and also scored a rare goal as a goalie, becoming the 12th player in OHL history to do so.
Trivia answer: The franchise record for the best plus-minus rating in a season belongs to David Savard, who achieved a plus-33 rating in 2016-17.
