It shouldn't be much of a surprise to Blue Jackets fans who have watched the two form one of the most dynamic pairings in the NHL. Werenski is coming off a huge season in which he led all defensemen in the league with 20 goals, while Jones is one of the most consistent defensemen in the game with six goals, 30 points and a plus-10 rating in 56 games this year.
And as you might imagine, head coach John Tortorella has plenty of praise for the two All-Stars who will play together when the team returns to action Aug. 2 vs. Toronto.
"More and more he's becoming a complete player," Tortorella said of Werenski. "I know he's put a lot of concentration into what we've asked him to do just to be a stiffer player defensively. But I think he's found himself comfortable now in understanding what is expected of him away from the puck, but he's also gotten more aggressive with the puck. Having him and Jonesy back together, and they'll play together, it's very important. I can imagine how he feels after losing Jonesy (to injury in February) and then getting him back here after this break as a partner. That's a really big thing for him and that's a big thing for this organization.
"(Jones) is the main engine to this club. When he and Z are playing together, that dictates our pace. That dictates a lot for our team as far as what Jonesy has become as a player. The thing that Seth does not get enough credit for still is how hard he defends, how much room he takes up on the ice and how hard he defends."
For his part, Werenski confirmed that it's nice to have Jones back considering the amount of time the two have played with one another the past four years and how much chemistry they've built in that time.
"He knows what I want to do when I have the puck, and I think he knows when I'm hopping into holes and he can find me," Werenski said. "I know how he plays and what he wants to do if he has the puck, when he doesn't. I always know if I'm up on the play, he's going to be there covering for me. Just that trust there, I think we work off each other and I think it's been a good pairing for the last three and a half, four seasons, and hopefully we can continue to grow together."
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft, Jones is a four-time All-Star who finished ninth in the voting for the Norris Trophy last year and fourth in 2017-18. In 325 games with the Blue Jackets, he has 45 goals and 195 points while topping 25 minutes played per game in each of the past two seasons.
Werenski, the No. 8 overall pick by the Blue Jackets in the 2015 draft, holds the Columbus record with 58 career goals from the blue line in his first four seasons. Overall, he has 169 points in 300 games and is plus-22 in his career.
