{"id":468577,"date":"2026-02-23T20:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T20:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/468577\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T20:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T20:03:13","slug":"zach-werenski-earns-high-praise-after-olympics-assist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/468577\/","title":{"rendered":"Zach Werenski earns high praise after Olympics assist"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jack Hughes was the hero for Team USA in the Olympic gold-medal game<\/a> on Sunday, helping the country capture gold for the first time in 46 years \u2014 and it was Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> star defenseman Zach Werenski who set him up.<\/p>\n

Werenski, who is second among NHL defensemen with 20 goals and 62 points in 2025-26, made a slick pass to the New Jersey Devils superstar in 3-on-3 overtime<\/a>, and Hughes did the rest.<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old is having another terrific year, and he was a key piece of the blue line for the Americans in their biggest hockey moment since the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid in 1980.<\/p>\n

A few of his Blue Jackets teammates commented on the golden goal<\/a> while in Columbus on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, we’re certainly biased towards him, but everybody in the locker room, whether Canadian, American, Russian, Swedish, doesn’t matter, we’re all like where’s [Zach], why isn’t he on the ice yet, and sure enough he makes that play and he’s in on their golden goal,\u201d said fellow defenseman Erik Gudbranson, per Jackets reporter Dave Maetzold.<\/p>\n

\u201cTremendous hockey player, great teammate, very proud of him and how he represented us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who recently returned to Ohio after playing for Team Latvia at the Olympics, was just as proud of No. 8.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really cheered for him, there’s many Canadians on the team so I was against them, they didn’t like it but I was cheering for my teammate,\u201d Merzlikins said with a smile, per Maetzold. \u201cWe were shooting some jokes around.\u201d<\/p>\n

The netminder continued: \u201cDefinitely I’m proud of him. He deserves it. I think he did amazing in the Olympics as well, so I’m super happy for him and can’t wait for him to come home to give him a hug.\u201d<\/p>\n

#CBJ<\/a> teammates Erik Gudbranson and Elvis Merzlikins (just back from the Olympics himself) on the play of \u2066@ZachWerenski<\/a>\u2069 today in helping USA capture the gold medal. pic.twitter.com\/bemyjTtYDA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dave Maetzold (@DMaetzMedia) February 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Blue Jackets will go as far as Zach Werenski takes them<\/p>\n

The hockey world has been locked in on Milano Cortina over the last two weeks, but for Werenski and his Blue Jackets teammates, they’ll soon be shifting gears to the stretch run in the National Hockey League.<\/p>\n

And it’s going to be an intriguing one in Columbus. The Jackets entered the Olympic break on an absolute heater, having won seven games in a row and 11 of 12.<\/p>\n

Although they remain four points out of playoff positioning in a crowded Eastern Conference, the way things have gone as of late, they have a great chance to break a five-year postseason drought come April.<\/p>\n

And to do that, they’ll need their best player to continue to be otherwordly. Werenski has been driving the bus for the Blue Jackets for years, and he’s been exceptional in 2025-26 to the tune of 62 points in just 52 games.<\/p>\n

Playing at well over a point-per-game pace as a defenseman, he’s far and away both the best offensive and defensive player on the team. When he returns from Milan \u2014 and the United States’ celebrations are over \u2014 the franchise is going to need him desperately in the quest to return to the dance this spring.<\/p>\n

Werenski should be in the lineup when the Blue Jackets return to game action on Thursday night against the Bruins in Boston.<\/p>\n