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Zach Werenski

Sean Kuraly Activated From Injured Reserve; Jack Roslovic To Be Scratched

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially placed Zach Werenski on injured reserve after announcing recently that he is out for the remainder of the regular season. It’s not all bad news though, as Sean Kuraly has been activated to take his spot on the roster.

Kuraly, 29, ended up missing only two games thanks to a five-day break the Blue Jackets had last week, and will likely assume his regular place in the lineup immediately. The veteran forward was great for the team last season with 14 goals and 30 points in 77 games and had been off to a nice start this year too, with four points in his first 11.

Still, Kuraly’s return won’t spark much excitement in Columbus where the season is quickly falling apart. Werenski is out for the year, Patrik Laine is out for a month, and Jakub Voracek, Justin Danforth, Nick Blankenburg, and Adam Boqvist all remain on injured reserve.

Even with that many injuries, the team is making a rather bold statement for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that Jack Roslovic will be a healthy scratch, with Kuraly and Kent Johnson drawing back into the lineup. A request for Roslovic to meet with the media was declined.

The 25-year-old center has just one goal in 14 games this season after signing a two-year, $8MM contract in June. The deal will walk him directly to unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024, but it seemed after last season like Roslovic had established himself as a core piece in Columbus. With 22 goals and 45 points in 81 games, he finished fifth among Blue Jackets forwards in 2021-22 despite still rather limited minutes. Averaging just over 14 minutes a night, nearly all of his production was at even strength.

While one scratch doesn’t guarantee a player’s time in a market is over, it is rather stunning to see a $4MM player in the press box while the Blue Jackets have so many other injuries. Message sent.

Zach Werenski Out Rest Of Season

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have updated the status of Zach Werenski and it isn’t good news. The star defenseman suffered a separated shoulder and torn labrum last season and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season. The team has also moved Nick Blankenburg, Sean Kuraly, and Jakub Voracek on injured reserve, while recalling Gavin Bayreuther, Marcus Bjork, and David Jiricek.

Blankenburg is out six to eight weeks with a fractured ankle. Kuraly is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Voracek is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. Erik Gudbranson is also day-to-day but will not play tomorrow.

This is about the worst-case scenario for the Blue Jackets, who managed to win last night for just the fourth time this season. The team has already struggled to keep the puck out of their own net, allowing 57 goals through 13 games. By removing Werenski – and to a lesser extent Blankenburg – their defensive group now looks incredibly thin with basically no first-pairing talent. The 25-year-old also makes more than $9.5MM per season, a higher cap hit than anyone other than Johnny Gaudreau.

Without him, the team suddenly looks like a group that will be unable to turn around their tough start. The draft lottery in a year with several high-end prospects looks like a tempting reward for finishing near the bottom of the league.

The silver lining, perhaps, is that a young player like Jiricek could receive some interesting NHL opportunities. Werenski was the quarterback of the team’s top powerplay unit, a role that will now need to be filled by someone. During Jiricek’s short two-game taste earlier this year he did see a bit of time with the man advantage, though he wasn’t able to record a point.

While they won’t admit it, the Blue Jackets will likely have to transition this season into a development year and start looking toward the future. That will increase speculation about Gustav Nyquist, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Joonas Korpisalo, all scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency at the end of the year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Columbus Blue Jackets Expected To Recall Gavin Bayreuther, Marcus Bjork

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It was a great win over their former coach last night but it came at a price for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team appears to have lost Zach Werenski long-term, while Erik Gudbranson was also removed from the game with a more minor injury. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic expects an update for both later today but notes that Gavin Bayreuther and Marcus Bjork will likely be coming up from the AHL.

Bayreuther, 28, played in 43 games for the Blue Jackets last season and has already suited up once this year. The minor league veteran doesn’t bring much offense to the table but is at least an experienced option to insert into the lineup. For long stretches, he’s probably not what you want though, which is what makes the recall of Bjork a little more interesting.

The 24-year-old Swede signed a one-year, entry-level contract last May to join the Blue Jackets organization after playing the last four seasons in the SHL. A star at the junior and minor league level in Europe, the undrafted defenseman has shown incredibly well in his short stint with the Cleveland Monsters. Through 11 games, Bjork has two goals and five points, and appears to be getting his first call-up to the NHL.

While losing Werenski drastically injures the Blue Jackets’ hopes of competing in the Metropolitan Division, it also could open up some opportunities to test young players. Top pick David Jiricek also played two games for the club earlier this year and has been good in the minor leagues, while Jake Christiansen played eight games for the team last season and could be due for another opportunity.

Metropolitan Notes: Jenner, Werenski, Connauton, Konecny, Clutterbuck

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Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner will not require surgery for the back injury that kept him out for the final seven weeks of the season, relays Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link).  He’s expected to be able to have a full summer of training and be ready for training camp in the fall.  The 28-year-old had a strong year offensively, notching 23 goals and 21 assists in just 59 games, the highest per-game rates of his career.  While his current contract is expiring this summer, Jenner signed a four-year extension last July at the same $3.75MM price tag.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Still with Columbus, Portzline reports in a separate tweet that defenseman Zach Werenski underwent surgery this week to repair a broken nose. The procedure may keep him out of playing for the United States at the upcoming World Championships.  Werenski led all Blue Jackets blueliners in scoring this season with 11 goals and 37 assists in 68 games; his assist and point totals were both career bests.
  • Flyers defenseman Kevin Connauton told reporters, including Sam Carchidi of Philadelphia Hockey Now (Twitter link) that surgery won’t be needed on his knee injury that kept him out towards the end of the year. The 32-year-old played in 39 games this season between Florida and Philadelphia and is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
  • Flyers winger Travis Konecny has declined an invitation to play for Canada at the upcoming World Championships, notes Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 25-year-old came one assist shy of reaching his career high in assists with 36 this season but also had his lowest goals per game rate since his rookie campaign.
  • Islanders winger Cal Clutterbuck is expected to be ready to return next season, mentions Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link). The 34-year-old has been out since just before the trade deadline with a shoulder injury, one that ruled out any chance of him being traded.  Instead, New York signed him to a two-year extension, one that cuts his cap hit in half from 3.5MM to $1.75MM.

Morning Notes: Skills Results, Bruins, KHL

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The NHL held their Skills Competition as part of their All-Star festivities last night.  The winners for each event are as follows:

Fastest Skater: Jordan Kyrou (Blues)
Save Streak: Jack Campbell (Maple Leafs) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning)
Fountain Faceoff: Zach Werenski (Blue Jackets)
Hardest Shot: Victor Hedman (Lightning)
Breakaway Challenge: Alex Pietrangelo (Golden Knights)
21 in ’22: Joe Pavelski (Stars)
Accuracy Shooting: Sebastian Aho (Hurricanes)

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • There are teams with some interest in Bruins youngsters Jack Studnicka and Urho Vaakanainen but there are questions as to what the upside for both players are, suggests Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic (subscription link). Studnicka started the season in Boston’s top six but has spent most of the season in the minors while Vaakanainen’s limited experience makes it hard to project whether or not he could become a second-pairing rearguard.  Both players are potential trade options if the Bruins try to make a splash at the trade deadline but those questions of upside will make their value considerably varied around the league which could complicate things in a trade.
  • The KHL announced that they have canceled the remainder of their regular season. The season was paused in mid-January due to several COVID outbreaks and while teams have less than 10 games remaining, the Olympic break would make it too difficult to play the rest of the season without compressing the playoff schedule too much.  Instead, they’ll elect to start their postseason on March 1st with more of a normal schedule while the seedings will be based on win percentage.  The IIHF World Hockey Championships are slated to begin in mid-May so this isn’t a situation where the KHL could have played later in the spring; they want to be finished by then so their players can participate in this tournament.

2022 NHL All-Star Game Rosters Revealed

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Jan 26: After Batherson was injured last night, the league has announced that Brady Tkachuk will replace him and be the Senators’ representative.

Jan 13: During a live reveal on ESPN’s SportsCenter program in the United States, the National Hockey League unveiled their four divisional rosters for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Eight skaters and two goalies were announced for each team, leaving one skater spot open for each division. That last spot will once again be decided by a fan vote, who they can select by voting at NHL.com/LastMenIn.

The head coaches of each team were announced earlier, decided by the teams in first place (by points percentage) in their division on New Years Day. Florida’s Andrew Brunette heads the Atlantic Division, Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour will coach the Metropolitan Division, Colorado’s Jared Bednar is the bench boss for the Central Division, and Vegas’ Peter DeBoer will serve as the Pacific Division’s coach.

Below are the full rosters for each division.

Atlantic Division

F Auston Matthews “C” (Toronto Maple Leafs)
F Drake Batherson (Ottawa Senators)
F Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins)
F Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida Panthers)
F Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings)
F Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens)
D Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres)
D Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning)
G Jack Campbell (Toronto Maple Leafs)
G Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Metropolitan Division

F Alex Ovechkin “C” (Washington Capitals)
F Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes)
F Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)
F Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils)
F Chris Kreider (New York Rangers)
D Adam Fox (New York Rangers)
D Adam Pelech (New York Islanders)
D Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets)
G Frederik Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes)
G Tristan Jarry (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Central Division

F Nathan MacKinnon “C” (Colorado Avalanche)
F Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets)
F Alex DeBrincat (Chicago Blackhawks)
F Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild)
F Clayton Keller (Arizona Coyotes)
F Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis Blues)
F Joe Pavelski (Dallas Stars)
D Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)
G Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators)
G Cam Talbot (Minnesota Wild)

Pacific Division

F Connor McDavid “C” (Edmonton Oilers)
F Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)
F Jordan Eberle (Seattle Kraken)
F Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames)
F Adrian Kempe (Los Angeles Kings)
F Timo Meier (San Jose Sharks)
F Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights)
D Alex Pietrangelo (Vegas Golden Knights)
G Thatcher Demko (Vancouver Canucks)
G John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks)

Zach Werenski, Alexandre Texier Placed In COVID Protocol

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Jan 7: Alexandre Texier has also tested positive and is now in the COVID protocol, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.

Jan 4: After initially being positive on a rapid test yesterday, Zach Werenski has now been officially placed in the COVID protocol after his case was confirmed. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman will be unavailable to the team for the next few days at least.

The team has also added Jean-Francois Berube and Cam Johnson to the taxi squad, as Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov are both dealing with lower-body injuries. Johnson comes all the way from the ECHL, where he has spent the last several seasons.

Losing Werenski is arguably the worst thing that could happen for the Blue Jackets, given how much responsibility he carries on a nightly basis. The 24-year-old defenseman is averaging 26:34 in ice time this season, four minutes more than the next highest Columbus player. He also happens to be third on the team in scoring with 20 points through 30 games.

The Blue Jackets are in action tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, before a home-and-home with the New Jersey Devils this weekend.

Columbus Blue Jackets Name Boone Jenner Captain

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With Nick Foligno gone in free agency, the Columbus Blue Jackets needed a new captain. That decision has been made, and Boone Jenner will wear the “C” this season as the seventh captain in franchise history. He’ll be joined by Zach Werenski, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Gustav Nyquist, who will each serve as alternates. New head coach Brad Larsen explained why Jenner was the choice:

We had a lot of discussions as a coaching staff and with management and, while we were in no rush to make a decision regarding the next captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, it became obvious to all of us that Boone was the right choice. He has tremendous character and a work ethic that has earned the respect of his teammates and he’s been an important part of our leadership group for several years. Zach, Gus and Oliver also have been part of that group and we are fortunate to have these guys lead our team.

Jenner, 28, has spent his entire career with the Blue Jackets to this point, suiting up 530 times in the regular season for the club. He reached a career-high of 30 goals in 2015-16 but has never really come close to matching that total, settling into more of a two-way role behind some of the team’s more offensive players. He had eight goals and 17 points in 41 games last season, but with some of the changes the team has made in recent months, could find himself more involved at that end of the rink this season.

At the very least, he will serve as a strong leader among a group that is going through a big transition. Foligno, Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson, huge parts of the franchise’s identity, are all playing for other teams this season. Werenski is now the face of the franchise, but he’ll be supported by Jenner now who takes on the responsibility of captain with an extension in pocket. The veteran forward is signed through 2025-26, meaning there doesn’t have to be any changes for several years.

The Blue Jackets, though considered something of a rebuilding group after trading away Jones, still have quite a few talented skaters on the roster and could surprise people this season. If it goes south, however, it’ll be up to Jenner and his alternates to keep the ship on course.

Zach Werenski Signs Long-Term Extension With Blue Jackets

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After several difficult years of asset management, capped off by the recent forced departure of Seth Jones, the Columbus Blue Jackets are stepping up do whatever it takes to keep their stars. In the wake of the Jones trade, no player is more important than fellow star defenseman Zach Werenski – and the team just made that clear. The Blue Jackets have signed Werenski to a six-year, $57.5MM contract extension, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston and confirmed by the team. That contract, which begins in the 2022-23 season, will make Werenski the third-highest paid defenseman in the NHL at a $9.583MM AAV, even higher than Jones’ recent deal. The breakdown is as follows:

  • 2022-23: $2MM SB, $8MM salary
  • 2023-24: $2MM SB, $10MM salary
  • 2024-25: $2MM SB, $9.5MM salary
  • 2025-26: $2MM SB, $7.5MM salary
  • 2026-27: $6.25MM SB, $1MM salary
  • 2027-28: $6.25MM SB, $1MM salary

The structure of this deal makes the contract buyout-proof, but that shouldn’t be an issue for the Blue Jackets. Werenski has committed to the team, publicly stating his excitement to remain in Columbus, and that is exactly what the team is hoping for. The team and city have developed a reputation for not being able to retain top talent in recent years, but they are hoping to change that perception. Rewarding players with loyalty (and a lot of money) is a great first step.

While this is certainly a large sum to award Werenski, it isn’t a massive overpay. Perhaps in the shadow of Jones, Werenski has quietly been one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL since breaking in with an All-Rookie debut season in 2016-17. At 24, Werenski already has 335 games under his belt, in which he has recorded 65 goals and 189 points, among the top blue line scorers in that time. Consistency has been the most impressive part of his offense as well; Werenski recorded double-digit goals and 37-47 points in each of his first four full NHL seasons, including a 2019-20 campaign in which he played only 63 games. This year, he again played at a full-season pace of 16 goals and 47 points.

On top of his elite shot, puck possession, and offensive instincts, Werenski has also developed into a solid defensive player who has been using his 6’2″ frame more effectively of late. This more mature, well-rounded game has allowed Columbus to use Werenski in all situations, leading to a career-high 24:22 time on ice per game this year. That role is only going to increase with Jones gone and Werenski will also be asked to help develop the likes of new additions Jake Bean, Adam Boqvist, and eventually Corson Ceulemans and Stanislav Svozil. Werenski seems ready for the challenge.

Zach Werenski Changes Agents

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Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has decided to make a change in representation as he nears the window to begin working on a contract extension.  According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription link), he is no longer being represented by CAA’s Pat Brisson and will soon sign with Judd Moldaver of the Wassermann and Orr Hockey Group.

The 23-year-old will enter the third and final year of his current contract this summer meaning that when the 2021-22 calendar officially begins in July with free agency, he will become eligible to sign a new deal.  His current pact carries a $5MM AAV which is certainly below market value but his salary jumps to $7MM next year which means that will serve as his qualifying offer in 2022, one that Columbus will certainly make.

At that point, he will be eligible for salary arbitration and a year away from unrestricted free agency so if talks don’t go well, he can simply elect to go to a hearing, get what he gets, and try his luck on the open market.  That makes this news more interesting as it suggests that Werenski’s intention is to try to work on a deal this summer; otherwise, there wouldn’t have been a need to make the agent switch now.

Werenski has become a legitimate top-pairing defenseman, recording at least 37 points in each of his first four seasons while logging over 22 minutes per game in all but his rookie year.  This season has been a bit tough due to injuries as a hernia and two lower-body injuries have limited him to just 35 games although he has averaged a career-high 24:22 per game which means this deal should be high on the priority list.

Having said that, it may have to wait a little bit as fellow blueliner Seth Jones – who happens to still be represented by Brisson, no less – is also entering the final year of his contract and is eligible for an extension.  Unlike Werenski, however, Jones would be unrestricted next summer if he remained unsigned while Werenski has that RFA year remaining so GM Jarmo Kekalainen may have to put Jones’ file at the top of his to-do list.

The current salary cap climate certainly doesn’t work in Werenski’s favor but Columbus is a team that has plenty of flexibility and has had some difficulty retaining some of their top players.  Expect Kekalainen to try to avoid history repeating itself by working on a new deal for Werenski sometime this summer except it will now be handled by Moldaver and his agency.

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