Why aren't people talking about Zach Werenski?

[Boud]

When will Canada respect Werenski?

I'm Canadian and and I wanted to see Werenski after I read he was playing well on here (maybe 9-10 games in the season) so I watched a couple of CBJ games and wow I was impressed. The last guy I was as impressed with as a rookie D was Parayko and Werenski is taking on bigger minutes. Everything he does he does well. He always makes the best plays.

 

[Tripod]

I guess it just depends where abouts people live and which websites and where abouts people look on this site... Cause I hear a ton about Murray and Provorov but nothing at all about Werenski. I honestly hear Murray/Provorov updates multiple times a week

I think I hear a ton about them though cause I live in a CHL city and both are former WHL players where as Werenski is a NCAA guy.. who knows though

Hockey Central I'd talking about Werenski a fair amount the last month because of the CBus winning streak. Talked about him, Atkinson, Wennberg and interviewed Foligno today.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

-His fan base is not Canadian and therefore not as large. Therefore they run around telling everybody how great he is a lot less than the fans of these other players too. (Laine also has the entire country of Finland hyping him)

-His team has not been terrible this year and therefore they don't have a serious inferiority complex that they compensate for by constantly reminding everybody how great he is.

-He hasn't received the same level of ridiculous hype over the past few years as these other rookies and therefore people just don't pay as much attention to him

-He plays D and these other guys play forward

 

[major major]

Interesting how there are basically two types of response in this thread.

One pointing out the fact that a lot of people are talking about Werenski, and one claiming that nobody is talking about him because he doesn't play for a Canadian team.

That's a literal contradiction but not a real one.

I can read about Werenski almost every day. People talk about him, just not as much on Canadian media, which is natural given that he's not Canadian and doesn't play in Canada. I don't have a problem with that, but it does lead to some amusing myopia, where Leafs and Jets fans will battle over who gets the Calder, forgetting that their rookies are almost outproduced by (and I'd argue they are outplayed by) a defenceman who is only two months older than Matthews.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Canada doesnt respect Columbus

 

[Ainec]

Zerenski isnt even the best d on the columbus blues

Its SethAtkinson so underrated

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Werenski will sooner or later be a top 5 defenseman in the league, book it.

Wondering which Murray people are talkin about...Pens' one? If so , gotta say he's consistently giving up terrible goals this season and despite winning the cup IMO he's pretty overrated.

What I gathered from this statement is that you know absolutely nothing.

 

[HabsQC]

I wished Sergachev would be like Werenski this year.

 

[Talonted]

Because we have Zach Kassian

 

[GirouxCouturier]

He has been talked about constantly, all year. Great player.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

He reminds me of Sergei Gonchar on the PP with that seeing eye shot. It's almost automatic, whether it go straight in, is deflected, or is put in on the rebound.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

He's been picking up steam in the media up here, similar to Ghost last year. It helps when you're playing lots of minutes and on a top team because if the Jackets weren't doing well, the media would go back to forgetting that team exists up here.

 

[Paradise*]

Because he plays for Columbus?

Came to post this.

 

[Paradise*]

Is there an inside joke about Laine I'm not in on here?

You know why

 

[varano]

Answer:
Like all defensemen that are young and can put up points, everyone waits for the floor to drop out so that they can say "SEE, I TOLD YOU IT WASNT SUSTAINABLE"

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Really pumped for his childhood best friend (Larkin) to recruit him back home in a decade. Super long wait for the chance at that reality though..

Werenski has been getting a lot of hype in the Detroit area for a while in my opinion. Glad to see others are starting to take notice.

 

[Viqsi]

Really pumped for his childhood best friend (Larkin) to recruit him back home in a decade. Super long wait for the chance at that reality though..

Werenski has been getting a lot of hype in the Detroit area for a while in my opinion. Glad to see others are starting to take notice.

At the rate our teams are going, if any recruiting happens it'll be the other way 'round.

Makes for a fun story with Jackets-Wings games, at least. And, hey, they can still play together on Team USA.

 

[Cowumbus]

Bc people are to busy talking about Provorov who is not as good.

 

[TB1299]

Will all the hype around Matthews, Laine, and to a far lesser extent Murray (Who also deserves more attention but that's another topic), I feel like Werenski has been lost in the hype, despite IMO so far making the best case for the Calder.

His team has been dominant this year, and while that may not be news, to those not watching he has been a huge part of this. While what Matthews has done as a center in the NHL is impressive, and Laine's goal scoring has been outstanding, Werenski has been doing it in the hardest position, defense.

This kid is out standing. He already looks like a #1 D and I think is going to make a strong argument in his career as the best player in the draft much like the Stamkos / Doughty type debates.

Also one thing as a side note, in 2015 the Leafs proposed a trade if Marner was not available at #4 for #8, and their 3 2nd round picks.

This was declined as CBJ management felt they liked Werenski as much as Hanifin or Provorov. What an outstanding call by them there, and what an outstanding season this kid is putting up so far.

Congrats Blue Jackets fans.

Karlsson was by far thr best player in the Stamkos Doughty Draft. #AINEC

 

[SpookyTsuki]

He's been in enough conversations

He's a top 5 dman this year right now

 

[LaGu]

Odd thread. I've seen his name in norris discussions ... Laine/Matthews for Hart ? Not yet, I think..

Ftr werenski for norris is as crazy as ekblad for norris years ago. Amazing young D, great, give him 2-3 years and then come back to me about the norris