From THN's Archive: Rushing To Success

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 Rushing To Success - Jul. 18, 2016 - Vol. 70, issue 01 -Sean Shapiro 

HIS SKATING JUST SET HIM APART FROM OTHER PLAYERS, WHILE HIS MENTAL SKILLS WERE IMPECCABLE – RED BERENSON, MICHIGAN COACH

THE SUMMER of 2014 solidified Zach Werenski as a can’tmiss prospect. Sure, Werenski was already a highly touted defenseman in the U.S. National Team Development Program, but when he made the decision to graduate high school early and enroll at the University of Michigan as a 17-yearold, that’s when he really committed to his NHL future. “It almost didn’t happen,” Werenski said. “I didn’t really see how it was possible, but my advisor at Grosse Pointe North (high school) helped me find a solution and we went after it.”

So while other teenagers were enjoying their summer, Werenski was juggling five classes to cram his entire senior year into a three-month period: “It was wake up, go to the gym, skate and then five classes. I was pretty much checking out of all the fun stuff.”

It was a worthy sacrifice, and two years later Werenski, the Columbus Blue Jackets and their AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, are reaping the rewards. “His interest in accelerating high school and doing that after his junior year really showed what he was about,” said longtime Michigan coach Red Berenson. “It showed he was really dedicated to his future. We learned a lot about Zach at that time.”

And that was before he even stepped on the ice at Michigan. “That’s when he made a real difference, when he was a 17-year-old on the ice he looked like a man,” Berenson said. “His skating just set him apart from other players, while his mental skills were impeccable.” And in two seasons at Michigan the teenager raked in honors. He was a first-team Big Ten selection each season and named Big Ten defensive player of the year as a sophomore. Sandwiched in between he was the eighth-overall pick in the 2015 draft and played in a pair of world junior championships. “That’s all great, but the thing I like most about Zach Werenski is his humility,” Berenson said. “He’s grounded and he carries himself the right way.”

That humility helped Werenski’s seamless transition into the Lake Erie dressing room after he finished his two-year collegiate career. “When you see a guy that is dedicated and hardworking right away it’s not hard to accept them,” Monsters coach Jared Bednar said. “And he came in really eager to learn.”

While he was learning about life as a pro, the rest of the AHL had something to learn about the Jackets’ toprated prospect. His effortless skating motion makes him deceptively fast.

In the second round against Grand Rapids Griffins, he beat speedster Andreas Athanasiou to a 50-50 puck to thwart a breakaway. Later that game, Werenski scored the winning goal in overtime to end the series.

Werenski’s biggest issue with pro hockey has been finding a way to fill his schedule. “I get out of the rink at noon and have to figure out what to do the rest of the day,” Werenski said. “I’m used to classes and study hall and things like that. It’s kind of boring.”

When he’s not looking for hobbies – shooting hoops and hanging by the pool have become his go-to activities – Werenski is a complete package that helped turn the Monsters into a playoff juggernaut. Lake Erie opened each series with a 3-0 lead and made a major statement in the Western and Calder Cup finals, where the speedy Monsters left the defending Calder Cup champion Ontario Reign (as the Manchester Monarchs) and the Hershey Bears gasping for air in sweeps. Werenski picked up an assist, his 14th point of the playoffs, on the lone goal in Lake Erie’s 1-0 Cup-clinching win.

Each step toward the final was visibly marked on the boards at Quicken Loans Arena. Numbers, counting down from 15 lined the neutral zone boards, and after each victory a player would cross out one number with spray paint. “It’s something I didn’t know about before the playoffs, but it’s a great way to celebrate wins and focus on a goal,” Werenski said.

While it’s a cool tradition in Cleveland, Werenski may not be around to take part in any AHL games next season. “I don’t know exactly where he stands in their organization, but we prepared for him like we were preparing for an NHL defenseman,” Hershey coach Troy Mann said. “You see what he added right away, and they became a better team.”

And based on his history, Werenski graduating early wouldn’t at all be a surprise.

Up Next: The Jackets are back at home to play the Minnesota Wild tonight.

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