Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager and Alternate Governor Jarmo Kekalainen announced today that defenseman Zach Werenski has been activated off Injured Reserve and defenseman David Jiricek has been assigned to the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters.
Werenski, 26, has missed the past 10 games due to an ankle injury suffered on December 27 at New Jersey. The two-time All-Star has registered one goal and 24 assists for 25 points with 10 penalty minutes, 87 shots on goal and a +2 plus/minus rating, while averaging 24:04 of ice time in 34 contests this season. He leads the team in assists and time on ice, while ranking second-T in points.
The Grosse Pointe, Michigan native has posted 80-190-270 with 103 penalty minutes in 450 career games since being selected by the Blue Jackets in the first round, eighth overall, at the 2015 NHL Draft. He is the franchise’s all-time leader among defensemen in goals, assists and points, including collecting his 174th career assist to surpass Seth Jones for the most assists on November 14 vs. Pittsburgh.
Jiricek, 20, has registered 1-8-9 and 22 penalty minutes in 40 career NHL games, including 1-8-9, 20 penalty minutes with a -1 plus/minus rating, while averaging 14:46 of ice time in 36 games this season. He has chipped in 0-3-3 in three games with the Monsters in 2023-24.
The club’s first pick, sixth overall, at the 2022 NHL Draft made his North American debut in 2022-23 appearing in four games with Columbus and notching 6-32-38 and 36 penalty minutes in 55 AHL games with Cleveland. He was named to the AHL’s Top Prospect Team a year ago and also was named Best Defenseman and to the All-Star Team at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships after helping Czechia to a silver medal. The Klatovy, Czechia native won a bronze medal at the 2022 IIHF World Championships and represented his country at the World Junior Championships that same year.
The Blue Jackets return to action tonight when they visit the Calgary Flames. Game time from Scotiabank Saddledome is 9 p.m. ET. Live coverage on Bally Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 8:30 p.m. The game may also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
