Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has been chosen to represent the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. The tournament will run from February 11th to February 22nd. The United States roster was announced on NBC's The Today Show this morning. There were some rumblings that he may be the last player out, but it would be criminal to leave him off the team. The 28-year-old Werenski, who hails from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, has played his way onto the team after having a stellar 24-25 season, where he had 82 points in 81 games. But the NHL regular season is not the only time he shined last season. Werenski was chosen to represent the U.S. during the 4 Nations Face-off, which took place during what is normally the All-Star break. Zach played in all four games, and although he didn't score a goal, he had 6 assists. His 6 assists were not only a tournament high, but his 6 points also led the entire tournament. He was also tied for second with a plus-3 rating. He became the first defenseman in NHL International Tournament history to lead all players outright in points. Canadian defensemen Bobby Orr and Denis Potvin were part of a three-way tie at the 1976 Canada Cup. Werenski also competed in the 2025 World Championships for the U.S. He helped lead the United States to its first Gold Medal since 1960. He played in 7 games and had 6 points. He and Johnny Gaudreau played on the 2024 WC team as well. Zach has loads of other international experience as well. Throughout the years, he's also played in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the World U-20 Juniors twice, including as Captain once. He's played in the World Championships three times, totaling 13 points. He excelled at the best-on-best 4 Nations Face-off and will now get his chance to show his abilities in the Olympic Games. This season, Werenski has played 35 games and has 40 points. His 40 points rank 2nd among all defensemen, despite missing the last few games after blocking a shot with his foot. He's expected to return this weekend. Congrats to Zach Werenski on his Olympic selection. Up Next: The Blue Jackets are back home to take on the scorching hot Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. 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 [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwm-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] and never miss a story. Let us know what you think below. For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum. thn.com/free [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/71cceeb2-bca5-48e7-a7ec-5e8f32473498.jpeg] thn.com/free
