The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that defenceman Zach Werenski is sidelined for at least four weeks with a shoulder injury.
#CBJ defenseman Zach Werenski expected to miss four weeks with a shoulder injury. https://t.co/HfD0L3OnlU
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 1, 2019
Zach Werenski Injured
Zach Werenski sustained the shoulder injury on Saturday night against the New York Islanders in the first period. The injury was sustained after an awkward interaction with Islander captain Anders Lee in front of the Blue Jackets net.
Here’s another look at the hit that caused the injury #CBJ pic.twitter.com/bnUrKNR4QB
— Alison (@AlisonL) December 1, 2019
So far this season, Werenski has scored six goals and 10 assists for 16 points to go along with eight minutes in penalties through 26 games. His possession numbers are 49.9 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 1.6.
Over his four-year NHL career, Zach Werenski has played exclusively for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has 44 goals and 100 assists for 144 career points in 263 career games. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jackets in the 1st round, 8th overall in the 2015 NHL draft.
“It’s a big hit (to our team),” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “Zach creates offence, and we’re a team that’s struggling to score goals.”
“One thing I liked about our game Saturday is how the other D stepped up,” Kekalainen said. “(Dean) Kukan played great. Gavrikov played great. The other guys (Murray, Savard, Jones) are known commodities, but those two guys haven’t really played a lot in this league, and the more they played, the better they played, so that’s good.”
What This Means for the Future
The Blue Jackets struggled to start the season, sitting second-last in the Metropolitan Division, ahead of only the New Jersey Devils. Losing a player like Werenski is a big hit to a struggling team. Werenski is in the first year of his new deal and hasn’t missed any time yet this season. The Blue Jackets will have to hope their other defenceman can cover the loss of Werenski.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 30: Zach Werenski #8 of the Columbus Blue Jackets is injured during the first period against the New York Islanders at the Barclays Center on November 30, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Islanders shut-out the Blue Jackets 2-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
