Blue Jackets Announce Werenski Injury Details, Out For Significant Period

After suffering a lower-body injury in the Columbus Blue Jackets' previous game on Wednesday, it’s now been confirmed that top defenceman Zach Werenski has an ankle injury and has been placed on injured reserve. He will be out for 4 to 6 weeks.

Zach Werenski has officially been put on IR. #CBJ

— Jason Newland™️ (@F1RETHECANNON) December 29, 2023

To take his spot on the roster, the Blue Jackets have activated Jack Roslovic off IR. 

Werenski went down awkwardly in a collision with Andrej Palat in Columbus’s 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Zach Werenski had to be helped off the ice after getting tangled up with Ondrej Palat#CBJ pic.twitter.com/IuiLBdFTmI

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) December 28, 2023

Werenski has been back to being a workhorse on the Jackets' top pairing this season, averaging over 24 minutes of ice time a night, while posting 24 assists and 25 points in 34 games thus far. The 26-year-old also has 87 shots on goal, plays critical roles on both the power play and penalty kill units, and owns a +2 plus/minus rating.

It’s another tough break for Werenski and the Blue Jackets as the 26-year-old D-man was only able to play 13 games last season due to a shoulder injury. He also missed 20 games in 2021 with a sports hernia.

Head coach Pascal Vincent says he’ll have to mix and match defensive pairings to cover for Werenski during his absence.

#CBJ head coach Pascal Vincent said the Jackets will mix and match at times with the defensive pairs with Zach Werenski out. Yesterday's pairings in practice:

Severson-Jiricek
Provorov-Peeke
Bean-Gudbranson

— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) December 29, 2023

Damon Severson and rookie David Jiricek skating on the first pairing in Thursday's practice.  

Werenski was a first-round pick by the Blue Jackets in the 2015 NHL draft, selected eighth overall. He’s posted 80 goals, 190 assists and 270 points in 450 career games. He is the Columbus franchise's all-time leader among defensemen in goals, assists, and points. 

Photo: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports