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Rosters are starting to take shape ahead of the 2024 IIHF World Championship that will take place in Czechia from May 10 through May 26.
Just a few days after we heard about the plans of Team Canada to recruit Connor Bedard and Sidney Crosby, as Heavy documented on April 4, it sounds like it’s Team USA’s time to call superstars to add to his World Championship start.
Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch revealed on April 5 that Columbus Blue Jackets No. 1 defenseman Zach Werenski told him he “plans to play for the U.S. at the World Championship this spring.”
Werenski, 26, was named the Blue Jackets’ nominee for this season’s Masterton Trophy award and he, along with his defense corps teammates, made history on Saturday, April 6.
Blue Jackets Defensemen Score 6 Goals, Make History Against Flyers
On Saturday’s matchup between Columbus and Philadelphia, the lowly Blue Jackets defeated the postseason-hopeful Flyers 6-2 dropping the latter outside of the playoffs picture.
All six goals by Columbus were scored by defensemen, matching an NHL record that has lasted more than 30 years. Werenski and Damon Severson scored two goals each, Erik Gudbranson added one, and Nick Blankenburg put up another.
According to the Columbus Blue Jackets Public Relations Department, the only other time this has happened was when the Washington Capitals beat the New York Rangers 8-4 on December 4, 1992.
Werenski scored his brace in the third period of the game, adding injury to insult and putting up Columbus’ fifth (in a power play) and sixth goals before Philadelphia added a second one with less than five minutes to go.
The defenseman has 9 goals and 43 assists in 52 games played this season, although his plus/minus is currently a negative minus-1 this year.
“I’ve never seen that before,” Werenski said after scoring two goals against the Flyers, via Bally Sports Columbus. “The puck was just going in for us.”
The goalscorers for the Blue Jackets found the net six times in just 13 shots on goal on Saturday.
“It wasn’t planned that way,” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent told reporters after the game on April 6. “[The defensemen] took charge. They made the right plays and when you play like that, good things happen. It’s exciting for our team when those guys can contribute.”
Future Team USA GM Bill Guerin Wants “Bubble Players” to Earn Call-Ups
Before Werenski discussed his willingness to join Team USA for the upcoming World Championship, future GM Bill Guerin (who will take over the position this summer) made clear that he’d like for “bubble players” and “national team hopefuls” to join the squad in lesser tournaments such as the Worlds ahead of the 2025 4 Nations tourney and the 2026 Olympics.
“I think it’s important for guys to go,” Guerin told Michael Russo of The Athletic on March 27. “There’s some guys that are going to be a lock for both (4 Nations and Olympics) teams. But there are going to be guys that are on the bubble.
“If they haven’t played in the playoffs or meaningful games in a long time—or ever—I want to see how they perform. So, in that respect, I think the world championships are extremely important.”
Werenski, a member of the Blue Jackets, won’t feature in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs as Columbus is already eliminated from contention. The Blue Jackets have a horrible 26-39-12 record through 77 games played and have earned just 64 points with five games left, the fourth-fewest in the NHL.
Although Werenski cannot be considered a “bubble player” thanks to his resume (NHL All-Rookie Team, 2-time All-Star), he is leading by example with his commitment to joining Team USA for the World Championship.
Teams making it to the NHL playoffs and advancing through them won’t send players to the international tournament even though they could, as the competition is not considered to be an important one, not at least when compared to the Olympics.
Team USA will try to win gold at the World Championship for the first time since they last did more than 80 years ago, when they conquered the field in 1960.
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