Bowness said he’s been most impressed by Werenski’s ability to stay calm under pressure even in the most crucial points of a game.
“When you watch him every day, [you notice] his ability to slow the game down,” Bowness said. “He’ll take the puck behind the net and just slow things down, or he’ll make the right play. I love that about him. Very few defensemen will do that. A lot of guys, they’re under pressure, they get it and they flip it out. He hangs onto the puck and just takes it to a quiet area and slows things down.
“His offensive numbers speak for themselves. Certainly, you want to talk about that, but it’s just as important what he does when he has to slow the game down, when things aren’t going well, in the third (period) in our zone, he has that ability to take it to a quiet zone, hang on to the puck, let things settle down. And I love that about him.”
There’s not much to love about Werenski. In addition to his big numbers, he’s a workhorse for the Blue Jackets, averaging 26:22 of ice time per game, second in the NHL behind Team USA teammate Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild (27:52).
He’s also shown he can handle the international stage. Last season, he had six points (all assists) and was plus-3 for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He then helped the U.S. win gold at the 2025 IIHF World Championship with six points (one goal, five assists) and a plus-9 rating in seven games.
Under Bowness’ tutelage, Werenski heads to Milan playing his best hockey, which is great news for Team USA and the Blue Jackets once their playoff chase resumes Feb. 26.
“I think he just keeps getting better and better, and you can see that,” Jenner said. “He’s so important for us, and what he’s bringing right now is huge and is helping us big time.”