Since then, Werenski has watched Olympic events, enjoyed the Italian scenery and, finally, got down to business on the ice. The United States opens tournament play tomorrow vs. Latvia, and the only goal is to win a gold medal.
American hockey has had its share of success the past few years, winning back-to-back World Junior Championships, taking Canada to overtime in the title game of last year’s contentious 4 Nations Face-Off, and finally breaking a 92-year drought by capturing gold at the IIHF World Championships in May.
With that momentum building, there’s little doubt this star-studded team believes it can deliver America’s first gold at the Olympics since 1980. That took a miracle, but victory this time would be the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from players and staff to cement the United States into a premier power on the international stage.
This is their moment, and Werenski feels ready for it.
“You look back on all the Olympics and there’s memorable moments from each Olympics,” Werenski said before leaving. “You go to ‘14 with Oshie and Bob, in ‘10 the Golden Goal. You look back on it, and now it’s just trying to create some of these memories for ourselves.”
And this time, he’ll have his biggest supporters by his side.
A Family Affair
It’s easy to forget, but two years ago, there was no guarantee Werenski was going to be able to book a ticket to Italy.
Werenski has long been respected as one of the top defensemen in the league, making a pair of All-Star appearances, but he missed most of the 2022-23 season with injury and was on a CBJ team that struggled immensely a year later despite his 57 points.
The last two seasons, though, Werenski has left no doubt he's one of the elite of the elite players in the world, finishing second in the Norris Trophy voting a season ago and firmly putting himself back in the mix this year with 20 goals and 62 points, both second in the NHL among defensemen at the break.
He was a key part of Team USA at the 4 Nations a year ago and then won gold at the World Championships, his performances for club and country making it all but a foregone conclusion that he’d be in Milano Cortina. But when this season began, family members still didn’t want to do anything to curse his potential participation.
“We knew he wanted to make the Olympic team, and he got off to a good start this year and nobody wanted to talk about it,” his father, Ken, said. “No one wanted to jinx it. In the back of your mind, you’re like, he’s gonna make it, he’s gonna make it. Then he called us right after he got the call, and it kind of hit me that, ‘Wow, I get to tell people that my son was in the Olympics.’”
From there, the Werenski family quickly started putting together travel plans to make sure they’d be well represented overseas. Around 20 members of the family will be in Italy for the Games, with Ken and Werenski’s mother Kristen leaving Friday. The list includes Werenski’s brother, Brad, and his family, wife Odette and plenty of aunts, uncles and cousins.
Werenski also has several friends going to the tournament, and the defenseman sent them thank you packages that include handwritten notes to make sure they know how appreciated the support is.
“They’re the reason I’m there, so it’s awesome for everyone to be going over there,” Werenski said of his friends and family. “It’s an individual moment, I guess, but it’s not possible without a great support system. I’m really blessed and honored and excited and grateful. There’s so many words I could use for it, but it almost makes you emotional thinking about it.”
While Werenski has represented Team USA throughout his career, it’s been difficult at times to have such in-person support given the international locales of some tournaments and the schedules of others. For example, his parents made it to one of the two World Juniors he competed in, and they were able to attend the 4 Nations a year ago, but weren't in Europe over the summer for the World Championships gold.
This time around, though, there was no chance they wouldn’t be there.
“It’s a little bit emotional for sure,” Ken said. “It’s one of those moments where he’s done so much in 10 years. Every year when his season ends, Kristen and I are like, ‘Well, how can you top this year?’ He has certainly made the most of his career. There are a lot of things on that bucket list (he's achieved), for sure.”
Going For Gold
At the top, though, would be an Olympic gold medal. That accomplishment eluded the United States when NHLers returned to the Games from 1998-2014, with Team USA falling in gold medal games in 2010 and 2002.
This may be the best chance the Americans have had, with the return of best-on-best hockey to the Olympics for the first time in 12 years coinciding with one of the deepest, most talented rosters in the country’s history.
Werenski has been at the forefront of the recent success, playing a key role on the squad that finally broke through at the World Championships. Team USA downed Switzerland by a 1-0 score in the final to win the tournament for the first time since 1933, and Werenski was named the event’s best defenseman while posting a goal, five assists and a plus-9 rating in seven games.
While that was an important accomplishment for USA Hockey, the closest parallel to what’s about to happen in Milan took place one year ago when the 4 Nations Face-Off caught the attention of the entire sports world. The bulk of that roster has returned for the Olympics, and Team USA hopes to build on that cohesiveness after the Americans lost to Canada in overtime in the final of that event.
“It was a ton of fun being in that room,” said Werenski, who led that tournament in scoring with six points. “I think everyone just bought into doing whatever they can to win for the United States, and although we fell just short, I was really proud of how we played, how we battled, how we had each other’s backs. I think it brought our group closer together, and I’m really looking forward to getting around those guys again and being together and being a team for a few weeks and doing it in the Olympics now.”
Over the next week-plus, Werenski will have the opportunity he’s long waited for, to add Olympic gold to the bevy of accomplishments he’s achieved throughout his career.
“I think I’ve always appreciated wearing that jersey no matter what stage it’s at, whether it’s the World Championships, the 4 Nations, the World Juniors, growing up playing at the USNTDP,” Werenski said. “It’s definitely an honor whenever you can wear those colors, and I feel like I've never taken it for granted, especially on this stage. I feel like this is as big as it gets. I’m just really excited to experience that and grateful for the opportunity.”
