Zach Werenski is expected to play for the Blue Jackets on Feb. 26 when they restart the NHL season against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden in Boston.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski has played like Captain America
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Werenski has been a tough guy to reach since setting up the winning overtime goal to give the United States a 2-1 victory over Canada for the country’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980.
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Zach Werenski attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Zach Werenski attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Zach Werenski attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Zach Werenski and Brady Tkachuk attend a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Zach Werenski attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Matthew Tkachuk and Zach Werenski attend a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Team USA Men’s Hockey attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Team USA MEn’s Hockey attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Matthew Tkachuk and Team USA Men’s Hockey attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Zach Werenski attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
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Blue Jackets’ Werenski parties in Miami after US gold medal victory
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Matthew Tkachuk and Zach Werenski attend a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
After flying back from Milan, Italy, with Team USA, Werenski and most of his teammates partied with a raucous celebration at a nightclub Feb. 23 in Miami before boarding a U.S. Air Force headed for Washington, D.C. Werenski, who leads all NHL defensemen with 20 goals, made the trip to the nation’s capital for a trip to the White House and to attend the president’s state of the union address.
Werenski is expected to meet his Blue Jackets teammates in Boston, where coach Rick Bowness expects him to play in a key game against the Bruins, whom they trail by four points for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
“I’m not worried about (Werenski’s Olympic) ice time,” Bowness said. “I’m worried about the last couple days … the celebration. That’s what I’m worried about.”
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 23: Zach Werenski attends a celebration of the USA Men’s Hockey Team’s Olympic Gold at E11EVEN Miami on February 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN Miami)
Bowness laughed while saying that, but the U.S. team has celebrated hard after ending a 46-year Olympic drought in men’s hockey. They also had a long flight back due to a winter storm that forced their arrival location to change from New York to Miami.
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Werenski, who logs a lot of ice time for the Blue Jackets, played almost 10 minutes fewer per game at the Olympics and logged just 12:10 during the gold medal win over Canada. His legs should have plenty of juice left after a six-game run in Milan, but getting through a stretch that has resembled a Stanley Cup celebration is the first hurdle.
“I’ve kind of left him alone since he’s gotten over here,” Bowness said of Werenski. “If he shows up in Boston (on Wednesday), that’s great, but I’ll find out later today (Feb. 24). I hope they’re drinking lots of water and getting some rest, right?”
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski expected to play vs Boston Bruins