Werenski aiming to return for Blue Jackets season opener

Zach Werenski is hoping to be ready when the Columbus Blue Jackets open the NHL season at the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 4 after having shoulder surgery.

"My goal, ultimately, is to be there for Game 1," the defenseman
told the Blue Jackets website Tuesday
. "You never want to miss time, you never want to miss games, so my goal going into training camp and into the season is to be ready for game one.
"If it's later, like game five or game 10, whenever that is, I'm going to work to miss as few games as possible and be ready to help the team."
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The 21-year-old injured his shoulder in October but played the remainder of the season and Stanley Cup Playoffs before having surgery in May. The expected recovery was 5-6 months.
"I actually don't know what my timeline is, to be honest, but I'm hoping to be back toward the start of training camp; probably not Day One, but as soon as I can be," Werenski said.
Werenski had 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 77 games last season. He had three points (one goal, two assists) in six playoff games; the Blue Jackets lost to the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference First Round.

"I feel great out there," Werenski said. "There's no problems right now. I'm just kind of ramping it up here, trying to get my timing back. Everything feels good on the ice. I haven't had any contact yet. That's not until later. I probably won't do that until probably halfway through training camp, but everything is good. Everything's on pace."
Werenski, who is from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, said he has extra motivation to return for the season opener in Detroit.
"Obviously, I'm not going to play in a game if I'm not ready, but that's kind of my goal and I think that got me through a lot of it, just knowing that, 'Suffer now, but I'm going to be able to play in my hometown on opening night in front of my family and friends,'" Werenski said. "That's one thing that definitely helped me. Once I saw that, it gave me that extra motivation to come back and be healthy as quick as I can."