Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski. Gaelen Morse-USA TODAY Sports

Blue Jackets star defenseman suffers injury after collision

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Mike Gould | Last updated 10/12/23

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski left Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers after suffering a quadriceps contusion in a collision with Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway.

The Blue Jackets announced the news of Werenski’s injury shortly after the start of the third period of Thursday’s game. Werenski, 26, previously missed all but 13 games of the 2022–23 season while rehabbing a shoulder injury.

Hathaway was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for kneeing Werenski at the 14:22 mark of the second period. Werenski logged 13:43 of ice time over 16 shifts before leaving the game.

The Flyers led the Blue Jackets by a 2–1 score late in the third period of Thursday’s game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.

Zach Werenski leaves the game following a scary knee-on-knee collision with Garnet Hathaway.

Hathaway was given a 2-minute minor for kneeing on the play. pic.twitter.com/X01AzYFR55
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 13, 2023

The Blue Jackets originally selected Werenski in the first round (No. 8 overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft. The Grosse Pointe, Michigan, product starred at the University of Michigan before turning pro in the Blue Jackets organization at the end of the 2015–16 season.

Werenski was named a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2017 after collecting 11 goals and 47 points in 78 games as a rookie with the Blue Jackets in the 2016–17 season. The 6-foot-2 defender added a goal in three playoff contests with the Blue Jackets in his rookie year.

Since remaining relatively healthy in his first four full seasons with the Blue Jackets, Werenski has dealt with some rotten injury luck. Over the 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2022–23 campaigns, Werenski appeared in just 116 of a possible 220 games with the Blue Jackets.

Werenski is under contract with the Blue Jackets through 2028 at a $9.583 million cap hit. Through 416 career games with the Blue Jackets, Werenski has collected 79 goals and 245 points; he’s added four goals and 13 points in 29 total playoff contests.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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