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Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski has played like Captain America
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- Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski has played like Captain America
Now that Zach Werenski is headed back from Italy with a Milano Cortina 2026 gold medal, it's time to review everything the Blue Jackets star has done for USA Hockey.
More: Zach Werenski's hustle nets gold for U.S. at Milano Cortina 2026
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With apologies to United States captain Auston Matthews , the term "Captain America" now applies to Werenski, whose point-per-game Olympic effort was capped by a hustle play in 3-on-3 overtime that led to the winning goal in a thrilling 2-1 victory over Canada on Feb. 22.
It was the first Olympic gold medal for Team USA in men's hockey in 46 years, spanning back to the 1980 "Miracle-on-Ice" team that featured college stars who shocked the world.
What happened in Milan, Italy, wasn't a miracle. It was the capstone for something USA Hockey has steadily built in the sport with its U.S. National Team Development Program, which produced Werenski and most of his U.S. teammates, who are all NHL stars.
Werenski, who is in the prime of his NHL career, is putting together an even stronger bid to win the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman than he did last year as runner-up . He's also coming back from the Olympics a champion despite being used a low amount by a coaching staff that feared skating Werenski with Quinn Hughes , two elite offensive-minded defensemen.
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Perhaps the gold medal game wouldn't have been as lopsided for Canada in shots and possession had the U.S. not held Werenski to just 11:40 through regulation in a 1-1 game, but the Blue Jackets ' top player came up huge in OT, making his ice time and usage an afterthought.
Going into the game as the third defenseman over the boards in OT, following Hughes and Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy , Werenski teamed up with Hughes' younger brother, Jack, for the winning goal.
After his backhand flip landed short of Hughes inside the U.S. blue line, Werenski bolted out of the zone after Hughes tapped the puck past charging Canadian defenseman Cale Makar , a Colorado Avalanche star who got the Norris Trophy last season ahead of Werenski.
Chasing after it, Werenski's long reach and wingspan allowed him to get his blade on the puck to prevent another Avalanche superstar, Nathan MacKinnon , from scooping it up. Bumping MacKinnon out of the way, Werenski wheeled, spotted Hughes and calmly sent a pass that slid under the stick of Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid .
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"He doesn't force it all the time," Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness said. "He has that unique ability to do that, and a lot of guys, when things aren't going good, they keep forcing it. He just has that unique ability to slow it down, bring it back and make the right play, which he did a few times (against Canada). I knew he was a really good player. I didn't know he was this good."
Feb 22, 2026; Milan, Italy; Zach Werenski (left) and Jack Hughes of the United States celebrate after winning the men's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
That's something Blue Jackets coaches and players have all said, almost verbatim, after joining the team and getting a front-row seat to watch Werenski. He's cool, calculating, calm and almost completely overlooked because of those traits.
"With the guys (Canada) had out there (in OT), that's no easy feat," said Blue Jackets center Charlie Coyle, who is from Boston. "To make that play, and to do that in the biggest moment and biggest stage is pretty special. He's got it all, and he showed it on that specific play. It was awesome to see."
MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: (L-R) Jeremy Swayman #1, Jackson LaCombe #2, Brady Tkachuk #7 and Zach Werenski #8 of Team United States hold the shirt of late Johnny Gaudreau while participating in the national anthem during the medal ceremony following the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
That's becoming the norm for Werenski, who has worn the U.S. uniform during international competition four times in the past two years at two world championships, the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. His medal haul includes a silver at 4 Nations, following a stinging OT loss to Canada, a gold at the 2025 world championships to end a 92-year drought for the U.S., and now an Olympic gold.
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Werenski has played for the U.S. in 45 games since first putting on the red, white and blue as an alternate captain in 2013-14 at the Under-17 world championships. His career scoring line for USA Hockey is seven goals, 30 assists and 37 points with a +39 rating, including 2-16-18 with a +20 in the past year while playing at the 4 Nations tournament, worlds and Olympics.
Werenski, who joined the world championships in progress, is the only U.S. skater to play in all three of those tournaments and led all U.S. skaters in combined scored at 4 Nations and the Olympics with 1-12-13 in 10 games.
He's Captain America, and there's no question who should pick up the tab if the U.S. Olympic general manager, Bill Guerin ( Minnesota Wild ), ever joins Werenski for a dinner the star defenseman has promised.
The bill should be all Bill's now.
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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 has played like Captain America
