With Boone Jenner officially out of the picture, the Columbus Blue Jackets are back in a place they haven’t been since the end of the 2020-21 season: looking for a captain. That opens the door to a familiar debate, and one name sits near the top of it right away - Zach Werenski.
Werenski is now the longest-tenured Blue Jacket, having joined the team in 2016-17 as a rookie. He’s played 642 games in Union Blue, and over the last two seasons he has come awfully close to the franchise’s single-season scoring record. This past season, he added another major line to his resume when he was named the NHL’s Norris Trophy recipient as the league’s best defenseman.
Going into the summer, Werenski looked like the clear answer. He still has two years left on his contract, and the case for him had become pretty simple: whether or not the letter was on his jersey, this already felt like his team.
But the offseason has complicated things. Before the NHL Draft, rumors started circulating that Werenski could be on the move out of Columbus.
Don Waddell did not shut those rumors down, and not long after, a rumored blockbuster deal leaked publicly. Both the team and Werenski later issued statements, but the situation has still left the fan base in limbo.
So the question now is straightforward: does Werenski really want to be here beyond the 2027-28 season? If the answer is yes, then the captaincy case is hard to argue against. At this stage of his career, it’s fair to say he’s the best player ever to wear a Blue Jackets sweater, even above Rick Nash.
If Werenski means what he said this week about being part of the winning formula in Columbus for the long haul, the organization should put the “C” on him now. If not, the Blue Jackets have other choices. The next one comes from the group that wore the alternate captain’s “A” full-time last season: Zach Werenski, Sean Monahan, Erik Gudbranson, and Charlie Coyle.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Fans Will Remember More Names Than They Expect Here
Jersey No. 47 has never been the flashiest number in Blue Jackets history, but it has connected a few familiar names over the years. Aaron Johnson, Geoff Platt, Dalton Prout and Marcus Bjrk all wore it in Columbus, giving the sweater a quiet little lineage that says as much about depth and opportunity as it does about recognition. For a franchise still building out its history, those are the sorts of details fans tend to remember.
The post-Blue Jackets paths have been just as varied. Johnson moved into coaching, Platt and Bjrk continued their careers in European leagues, and Prout stayed connected to hockey in other professional roles after his time in Columbus. Bjrks most recent stop came after his stint with the Jackets, keeping the number 47 thread alive in a way that stretches well beyond the NHL stage. [Read more 🡒]