Laine was forced from a game back in December after Jackets players took exception to his comments
Zach Werenski and Team USA will play Finland tonight at the Four Nations Tournament inside Bell Centre in Montreal.
Two players will be facing off against one another that was sure to garner some attention - Zach Werenski and Patrik Laine.
Laine's comments from December are still being talked about. Just the other day, Mathieu Olivier talked about it on a popular podcast and said, "We just kind of felt like, man we been through this grind with you, and now people are going to think that's us, and that's not OK. Right? So, I haven't talked to Patty much since then, probably will someday down the road. But that's pretty much all I got to say on it. It's a delicate thing to talk publicly."
Olivier also said Laine reached out to a few players and apologized for it.
But now it's Werenski's turn to address it publicly. Back when it first happened he had this to say after the game, "It's bulls**t that he comes to Columbus and says things like that. I didn't like it, and neither did anyone else on our team."
At the Four Nations tournament, he was again questioned about it.
Zach was asked if there was anything between himself and Laine, and he responded "I don't really want to comment on it any further. It's not Columbus and Montreal, it's the USA and Finland. Now it's about different teams."
"I have nothing against Patty. I like him. He's a great person. I just didn’t like his comments and the way they were presented, so I responded to them the way I had to respond. I wanted to defend the team, my teammates, and the organization, Werenski said."
He continued, "There's no rift between us. Patty's not a bad person at all. He was a good teammate in Columbus, and I wish him all the best here in Montreal."
Per the Finnish article, he was also asked what Laine's reputation is in Columbus. Werenski said, "I alluded to this a little earlier. We haven't really talked about (Laine) since that incident. We won't play against Montreal again this season, and the players on our team are still on good terms with him."
He goes on to say "Now it wasn't that he said anything particularly crazy. What he said just didn't sit well with us. Like I said, the guys wish him nothing but the best. Honestly, there's no point in this anymore. We haven't thought about those comments since."
It's highly doubtful that the two have any issues on the ice. Neither player will go out of their way to hit each, as neither player plays an overly physical game.
This story seems to just live on as players keep getting asked about it. Hopefully, this is the end of it. Zach handled these questions very well.
What's Next: Zach Werenski will now take the ice for the United States in the Four Nations Face-Off, which kicks off this coming Thursday, as the U.S. takes on Finland. The rest of the Jackets will get some much-needed R&R before coming back home to play the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 22.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.