Werenski talks evolving his game, arrival of Gaudreau in Q&A with NHL.com

In NHL.com's Q&A feature called "Sitting Down with …" we talk to key figures in the game, gaining insight into their lives on and off the ice. Today, we feature Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski.

Zach Werenski showed what he could do in one sequence against the New York Rangers on Sunday.
First, he intercepted a pass in the defensive zone. Next, he led the rush, dishing the puck to his left to forward Liam Foudy in the neutral zone. Finally, he went to the net. When the puck hit his left skate, he was in position to tap it into the net, giving the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead at 17:54 of the first period.

The Blue Jackets went on to a 5-1 win against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. After opening the season with three straight losses, they won three of four before a 6-3 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday.
At 25 and in his seventh NHL season, Werenski is looking to increase his impact as a No. 1 defenseman and an alternate captain. He leads Columbus in average time on ice per game (24:41) and has four points (two goals, two assists) in eight games this season. He has 241 points (78 goals, 163 assists) in 411 NHL games.
"I think he can make a big step," said Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, who skates with Werenski during the offseason. "We worked on a lot of the same things this summer, and I think he can push it more, as can I. I think he'll have a really good year, especially with their team adding some good players. He can definitely be better than what you've seen. I think he hasn't peaked yet."
In an interview with NHL.com, Werenski talked about the additions of forward Johnny Gaudreau and defenseman Erik Gudbranson, developing an attacking mentality to be more of a difference-maker, traveling to Finland for the 2022 NHL Global Series, and more.
You made a commitment to Columbus when you signed a six-year, $57.5 million contract ($9.58 million average annual value) on July 29, 2021, locking you up through 2027-28. What did it mean to you when Gaudreau signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract ($9.75 million AAV) on July 14 and forward Patrik Laine signed a four-year, $34.8 million contract ($8.7 million AAV) on July 23?
What else is meaningful for the future? Forwards Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger, the No. 5 and No. 12 picks of the 2021 NHL Draft, respectively, are up and coming. No. 1 goalie Elvis Merzlikins is signed through 2026-27; backup Daniil Tarasov made 30 saves for his first NHL win Sunday.
"It's huge. I think for me personally, I signed up for six years knowing what the city has to offer, the organization, the fans. But you don't really know what your team's going to look like six years from now. Now for me, having a guy like Johnny, who's going to be there for seven, Patty for four, you kind of get some more clarity on what your team is going to look like. Kent Johnson is a young guy who's going to be there, Sillinger. Elvis is signed for long term. We have Tarasov coming. It's just exciting for me to know.
"You can see the direction the team's headed, and for the city and organization, [Gaudreau] might be the biggest signing -- it is the biggest signing -- in franchise history. Just what that means for our organization, to get a guy of this caliber, that wants to be here for seven years, it's great for the fans. It's great for the city. I think it's great for the League. And -- obviously I'm biased -- it's great for me and our team. So it's exciting."
What do you do as a defenseman, just get the puck to Gaudreau and watch him go?
"That's my goal this year, just move the puck up to these guys. I don't have to do too much. They're great at what they do, and Johnny's obviously one of the best in the League at what he does, so for me it's just trying to make him better and putting him in situations to do his thing, try to set him up for success. And in return he's going to set other guys up. For me, it's exciting to know that I can just kind of get the puck to him, get the puck to Patty, back them up and just try to help them out."
What did you learn from skating with Hughes in the offseason? What did you work on together?
"I was fortunate to watch Quinn this summer a lot. He's really good at what he does. His skating, his escape moves, his cutbacks. He's always creating things for other people. For me, I'm more of a shooter, I don't really create as much as he does. So to be able to watch him and learn from him this summer was awesome. I think the thing we worked on the most was attacking in the offensive zone, attacking downhill, taking the ice that the forward gives you, not just shooting it from the blue line and not just standing there. If it goes up to your [defense] partner, D-to-D, attack downhill. If you don't like it, cut back, do something creative. So for me, watching him a lot, I got to learn a ton and I'm excited to hopefully incorporate some of that into my game this year."
You set an NHL career high with 20 goals in 63 games in 2019-20. Last season you set NHL career highs with 37 assists and 48 points in 68 games. What now?
"I have to show more. I think I'm at the age … I'm 25. I'm still not even … this is my prime. I'm still getting there. I want to make a difference every night. I'm on the same page as [Hughes].
"I feel like when you watch a guy like (Colorado Avalanche defenseman) Cale Makar, every shift he's making a difference. It's not just one or two shifts a game. Every shift you see him out there, you see him doing something. He's pushing the play, he's attacking. He's got that attack mentality, and I think that's something we talked about, me and Quinn, this summer, is making sure we have that every shift, and that's something we were working on."
How have things changed for you since the Blue Jackets traded Seth Jones to the Chicago Blackhawks on July 23, 2021?
"When you play with Seth, and he's the No. 1 and I'm the No. 2, you kind of always tell yourself, 'I'm ready for the No. 1. I'm ready for the No. 1. I can do it.' Until you experience it and go through it, there's a lot more to it than you think, just in terms of kind of being the guy that everyone looks at when things are going bad. I was also wearing a letter for the first time last year. That's another experience in itself.
"So I feel like for me last year there was a big learning experience, where this year I kind of know what to expect. I'm more excited to just play this year as a No. 1 knowing what to expect. Last year it seemed like every night I was learning something new about it, there was a different question I was being asked, a different situation I was put in. So I learned it last year, and this year I kind of know what to expect, so I'm excited to kind of see what I can do."
What is the impact of Gudbranson, who signed a four-year, $16 million contract ($4 million AAV) on July 13? The 30-year-old has played 648 NHL games.
"At 24 [last season], I was the old guy on the back end, the most games played. It's just different, for sure. Having Gudbranson helps this year. He's a guy that guys will look up to and kind of lean on. He's been around for a while."
After playing the Coyotes on Tuesday, the Boston Bruins on Friday and the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, the Blue Jackets will travel to Finland, where they will play the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 4-5 in Tampere in the 2022 NHL Global Series. What are you looking forward to most?
"We play 82 games in a season and sometimes they get repetitive. But going over to Finland with your teammates, different country, different cities, the flight over there, all that stuff that goes with it, I think it's a memory that we're going to have for a lifetime. I think for our team early in the season, it's a great bonding experience for us."
After two seasons out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, what expectations are realistic this season?
"I mean, it's playoffs. I know every team says that, and I said it last year. Were they realistic last year? Maybe not. But I think this year, when you add Johnny and you add Gudbranson, our [defense] corps is a year older, guys are more experienced now, I'm ready to take another step, Boone Jenner's healthy. I don't see why there's any reason why we can't make the playoffs this year, or at least be close at the end of the season. But our goal, it's got to be playoffs. I think we're capable of it."