The Columbus Blue Jackets have never had a defenseman named as a finalist, let alone win the James Norris Memorial Trophy.
With a strong start to the season, not only offensively but in all aspects of his game, Zach Werenski is quickly catapulting himself into that conversation. If he continues playing like he has, Werenski can become the first Blue Jacket to win the honor. But how sustainable is his start?
Werenski’s Offensive Production
Werenski has always found ways to contribute offensively for the Blue Jackets. Last season, he set a career-high in points with 57 in 70 games. This season though, he’s simply been on a different level. Through the first 22 games, he’s scored eight goals and posted a total of 24 points.
If Werenski continues at this same pace, he’ll become only the second defenseman since the turn of the century to have a 30-goal season. Mike Green is the most recent blueliner to accomplish the feat, scoring 31 goals in 68 games for the Washington Capitals during the 2008-09 season. It’s hard to imagine that Werenski keeps up that pace, but it’s certainly possible. He set his current career-high in goals during the 2019-20 season with 20 in 63 games.
Now that we’ve talked about goal-scoring, let’s discuss Werenski’s point totals as a whole. He’s currently on pace for 90 points, which would be two points less than Quinn Hughes had when he won the Norris last season. Although his career-high for points is currently 57, Werenski has struggled to play full seasons for the Blue Jackets which often makes his numbers lower than they should be. He’s only played a full 82-game season once, which was in 2018-19. In his other seven NHL seasons, Werenski has averaged roughly 57 games per season. Injuries have plagued him over the course of his career. If he wants to walk away with the elite point totals he’s shown that he’s capable of, he’ll need to remain healthy which is easier said than done.
Werenski’s Defensive Responsibility
Although it seems that offensive production is the biggest indicator of who will win the Norris Trophy, it seems redundant to say that the biggest responsibility of any defenseman is simply to defend. Werenski has only been on the ice for 14 goals against so far this season, which is phenomenal for a player who is averaging about 26 minutes of ice time per game.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the Blue Jackets’ opponents have had 185 scoring chances with Werenski on the ice, 92 of which were considered high-danger chances. This season, the Blue Jackets’ goaltenders have struggled mightily, however, that hasn’t been the case with Werenski on the ice. His on-ice save percentage currently sits at 93.17%, meaning his goaltenders are making quite a few saves when he’s defending. Meanwhile, Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov’s combined overall save percentage comes out to .881. They’re essentially making 5% more saves with Werenski on the ice, which shows the impact he’s making for the Blue Jackets.
While fans have certainly praised Werenski recently, he has also regularly earned praise from new head coach Dean Evason this season:
“I’ve seen a lot of hockey players. I don’t think I’ve seen one like him. He’s amazing.” #CBJ coach Dean Evason on Zach Werenski.
— Dave Maetzold (@DMaetzMedia) November 22, 2024
As his Gordie Howe hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens showed, Werenski is playing a complete game this season for the Blue Jackets. If he can stay healthy and his level of play doesn’t dip, it’s difficult to imagine he doesn’t become at least the first Norris Trophy finalist in Blue Jackets history.
Related: Blue Jackets Acknowledge Concern With Their Goals Against
With that being said, even if Werenski’s offensive numbers don’t eclipse those of Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar, his all-around play this season could elevate him in the eyes of the voters. It’ll be difficult for him to walk away with the trophy given the heavy competition at the top of the league, but it’s safe to say that Werenski has entered the conversation.
