Following the Blue Jackets’ 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on March 3 at Nationwide Arena, coach Rick Bowness provided brief medical updates on star defenseman Zach Werenski (illness) and captain Boone Jenner (lower-body injury).
More: Columbus Blue Jackets’ grit stokes playoff hopes in back-to-back sweep
Advertisement
Neither played against the Predators and Werenski missed his second straight game. The Blue Jackets hoped Werenski could skate in pregame warmups before a decision was made on his availability, but neither he nor Jenner participated.
Werenski, who won a gold medal with the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, is still recovering from an illness that has spread throughout the Blue Jackets’ roster over the past month.
Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) during training camp at Nationwide Arena on September 18, 2025.
“He’s not doing great,” Bowness said. “So, we’ll see how he is through the night (of March 3).”
Jenner sustained an undisclosed lower-body injury in the Blue Jackets’ 4-3 overtime win March 2 at the New York Rangers and is listed as day-to-day now.
Advertisement
The Blue Jackets initially said Jenner would miss the game against Nashville for “maintenance,” but Bowness confirmed after the game that Jenner sat out for a medical issue rather than a precautionary measure as a potential trade chip with the NHL’s trade deadline looming at 3 p.m. ET on March 6.
“Lower body, maintenance, take your pick,” Bowness said of the captain’s injury. “He couldn’t play.”
The Blue Jackets didn’t practice March 4 and return to action against the Florida Panthers on March 5 at Nationwide Arena.
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 injury updates on Zach Werenski, Boone Jenner