It’s deja vu. It only took Columbus Blue Jackets’ number one defenseman Zach Werenski half of a game to find himself once again on the injured reserve. The perennial All-Star missed almost 70 games last season due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. Losing him completely derailed the team’s chances of success with their defensive corps fighting above their weight class in most matchups. Their poor defensive play was a major factor in leading to one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
Werenski fought his way back to the ice in time for opening night of 2023-24, which ended a span of 11 months between NHL regular season games. Then in the second period, a late hit from Philadelphia Flyers’ tough guy Garnett Hathaway to the leg sidelined him again. This time it’s for a charley horse, which is much less severe and he is expected back in the lineup within a week or two. However, even if it were worse, the Blue Jackets’ offseason decisions mean they are far better equipped to lose Werenski or any defenseman this time around.
The Interim Succession Plan
Depth on defense is much less of a problem looking at the Blue Jackets’ defensive corps. What it lacked in mid-to-high-end talent last season, is now somewhat fortified with the additions of Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson. Provorov spent the last chapter of his career as the Flyers’ number-one defenseman, so taking the mantle from Werenski is a mere passing of the baton. Severson’s years of experience will help maintain a stabilizing presence. The two can be paired together for the difficult duties or separated to ensure one trusted veteran is on the ice more often.
Those two additions allow the Blue Jackets to keep their defenders slotted in a little more comfortably. Erik Gudbranson is a prime example. He is becoming more and more of a solid piece of the team’s back end. He’s a heavy hitter, has a ton of experience, and has been adorned with an ‘A’ because of his leadership qualities. However, he often looked outmatched and was exposed far more often in the top-four role he was in for most of 2022-23. The added depth allows him to play his game and continue to be the stalwart of the bottom pairing.
In terms of opportunities, the Werenski injury quickly answered the question: “When will 2022 sixth overall pick David Jiricek be called up to Columbus?” Jiricek was immediately called up and slotted in on the team’s third pairing, seeing instant success with a goal in his first game. He didn’t garner much time at the NHL level last season because he was still getting his footing during his first year of North American pro hockey in the American Hockey League (AHL). This season, he is far more deserving of a roster spot and projects to be a legitimate top-four defender for years to come.
Related: Blue Jackets’ David Jiricek Has Golden Opportunity
The situation also presents Jake Bean with a healthy opportunity. The team’s third left-handed defender looked good in preseason and even potted a goal on opening night. He’s now got a couple of weeks on the second pairing and we may finally get to see what he can do at the NHL level. Bean has had so much potential, highlighted by his winning of the Eddie Shore Award for the AHL’s best defenseman as a 21-year-old in 2020-21. In the last year of his deal, he’ll be motivated to show he’s capable of filling the shoes of No. 8.
It is far from the Blue Jackets’ best-case scenario to have Werenski on the injured reserve. However, with the moves made to shore up the blue line this offseason, and the continued emergence of Jiricek and Bean, the Blue Jackets are far more equipped to weather the storm until he returns.
