The Columbus Blue Jackets' defensemen Zach Werenski has been officially invited to the Team USA Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp.
Today, there were 44 players invited to the camp, which will run from Aug. 26-27 in Plymouth, Michigan, and will consist of an administrative and team-building event. There will be no one-ice activities, and it will not be open to the public to come and watch.
Earlier this summer, there were six players named to the Olympic roster, that included Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy. On the day of the release of the first six players, there was a thought that Werenski would have been one of them. However, he wasn't but yesterday he received his official invitation.
Werenski joins Brock Faber, Adam Fox, Luke Hughes, Noah Hanifin, Seth Jones, Jackson LaCombe, Charlie McAvoy, Ryan McDonagh, Brett Pesce, Neal Pionk, Jake Sanderson, Brady Skjei, Jaccob Slavin, and Alex Vlasic as other defensemen who received an invite.
He last represented his country at the 2025 World Championships where he scored six points in seven games. Before that, he played for Team USA at the 4-Nations Face-offs, where he led all skaters with six points in four games.
It isn't a matter of 'if' he makes the American Olympic team, it's just a matter of win. The final 25-man roster is expected to be announced in early January.
