Columbus Blue Jackets Defenseman Zach Werenski
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 20, 2017 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS DEFENSEMAN ZACH WERENSKI NAMED A FINALIST FOR CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY Werenski joins Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine as finalists for top rookie award COLUMBUS, OHIO --- Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski is among three finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given annually to the National Hockey League’s most outstanding rookie as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, the club and NHL announced tonight. Center Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and right wing Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets are the other two finalists. Werenski, 19, led all rookie NHL defensemen in scoring with 11 goals and 36 assists for 47 points with 14 penalty minutes and a +17 plus/minus rating in 78 games this season. His point total also stood seventh in overall rookie scoring, was 13th among all NHL defensemen, set a franchise record for points by a rookie and was the second-highest total by a blueliner in club history (51-James Wisniewski, 2013-14). Historically, he tallied the sixth-most points by a teenage rookie defenseman in NHL history. Columbus’ first pick, eighth overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft, Werenski played two seasons at the University of Michigan from 2014-16 before joining the Lake Erie Monsters, the Blue Jackets’ American League affiliate, in April 2016. He tallied 5-9-14 in 17 playoff games, recording the most assists and points by an 18-year-old in the history of the Calder Cup Playoffs. He finished second among AHL defensemen in playoff scoring to help the Monsters capture the Calder Cup championship.
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