When the Blue Jackets spend time this summer updating their record book, Zach Werenski has made sure it will be no easy task.
He already holds – well, has already reset, as he was the previous owner of all of these marks, too – the Blue Jackets record for assists (48) and points (68) in a season for a defenseman. He’s tied his own franchise record for goals in a season for a blueliner with 20, broke Rick Nash’s CBJ record of career assists, and will threaten overall team records for assists and points in a season before it’s all said and done, as well.
He's almost certain to finish in the top two of the Norris Trophy voting, if not win it, and it’s hard to imagine a defenseman having a more impactful season.
But only one thing matters to Werenski as the Blue Jackets battle down the stretch.
Making the playoffs.
“It’s one of those things where I love the records and points and all that stuff because it means I’m doing my job,” Werenski said. “The best part about it is it means I’m helping the team win, and that’s all I really care about. It’s one of those things where it’s been an overwhelming year in that sense with all this stuff that’s happened for me. I don’t really like it that much, but at the end of the day, when the puck drops, I go out there and try to help the team win in any way I can.
“Postseason means more to me than any of those records – any points, any goals, whatever it is. You play this game to win, and we haven’t done that in a long time, and I haven’t had a chance to. I’m in my prime now and I feel like I’m ready for the postseason, and I feel like this team is ready for it. I would feel much more satisfaction if I played this way in the playoffs and the team is having the success. I just want to get there and show them what I can do and show them what this team can do.”
Indeed, for the Blue Jackets players who have played out the string enough the past few seasons, the playoff race is the opportunity they've been waiting for. In the second wild card spot right now through 64 games, the Blue Jackets control their own destiny to make it to the postseason, especially with 11 home games out of the 18 left.
It would be the franchise’s first playoff appearance since they skated in the bubble postseason of 2019-20, and the first with games played at Nationwide Arena since the stunning upset of Tampa Bay in the 2018-19 season netted the franchise’s first series win in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.
Only Werenski and Boone Jenner remain with the Blue Jackets from that 2018-19 postseason run, and it’s felt like a long and arduous journey for Columbus to get back to this point. That would make it extra sweet for those CBJ players to return to the postseason, and Jenner confirmed there’s a little extra bounce in his step now that he’s back on the ice and contributing to the cause while playing in meaningful games.
“It’s way better,” Jenner said. “It’s where you want to be as a team right now in this fight for the playoffs, and every game, it just keeps getting bigger and it’s more fun. That’s why you play the game. You watch these kids battle all year and have us in this spot, for me to come back into it, it’s awesome. I just want to help them out. It’s been fun.”
One of the biggest keys to the Blue Jackets’ success has been the team buy-in, as evidenced by Werenski’s focus on wins over any individual accolades. That’s music to the ears of head coach Dean Evason, who has preached focus on one game to the next and turning in consistent efforts throughout the season.
There have been bumps in the road throughout the season, as there are for all teams, but for a young squad that is largely experiencing playoff pressure for the first time, the Blue Jackets have done a good job of focusing on the task at hand.
“I think every coach strives to have consistency,” Evason said. “It’s just a build that you start from day one, and you just try to continually talk about the team and putting the team first and all that, and our guys have done a fantastic job of that and not worrying about outside distractions or stuff that we have no influence over. We’re trying to be as consistent as we can this time of year. Obviously we want to be playing really well and continue to get better, and hopefully we can do that.”
Despite losing three out of the last four, all on the road, the Blue Jackets haven’t withered under the glare of the postseason spotlight. Since Dec. 19, the team is tied for seventh in the NHL with 19 wins and tied for fifth in points percentage at .641, including an impressive 13-2-1 mark in Nationwide Arena.
Sure, the games are getting bigger and there's more pressure to get the job done, but that’s no surprise to a CBJ team that has been in important contests for months now.
“Every game’s been big, right?” Evason said. “Every game we’ve started, it’s like, jeez, this is a big game. Of course, they’re all big games. I mean, three months ago they’re big games. So our message to the group is one game at a time. We’ve done a good job of focusing on that. We’re not scoreboard watching or standings watching. If we look after what we have to do in order to give ourselves a chance every night, then we’ll be happy with the results.”
President of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell recognized how far his team has come and made the decision to not trade any unrestricted free agents-to-be at the trade deadline, in part because of the close nature of the locker room but also because he feels this team deserves a chance to make these games count down the stretch.
While Waddell didn’t break the bank at the deadline, he did add a pair of experienced forwards in Luke Kunin (trade) and Christian Fischer (waivers) last week. It’s a good mix, as the team’s veterans appreciated Waddell’s decision to keep the group together, and someone like Kunin is excited to come in and help out after spending the first three-quarters of the season with a rebuilding San Jose team.
“It means a lot,” Kunin said. “That’s why you play. You want to make the playoffs, you want to win the Stanley Cup. That’s been missing for me the past few years in San Jose, so I’m very excited for this opportunity to chase for a spot and hopefully play playoff hockey.”
