Werenski expected to miss weeks with lower-body injury

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski is expected to be sidelined week-to-week after an awkward collision with Ondrej Palat forced him out of Wednesday's loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Columbus defenceman Zach Werenski has left the game after an awkward collision with Ondej Palat. pic.twitter.com/XW1i8pLEmg

- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 28, 2023

"He's still being evaluated by our docs," Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent said, per NHL.com. "It's not going to be day-to-day, most likely. I'm sure it's going to be week-to-week now. How many weeks? I don't know."

Werenski leads the Blue Jackets with 25 points this season while also averaging more than 24 minutes per contest. He missed two contests earlier in the year after a knee-on-knee collision and was limited to only 13 games last season due to a shoulder injury.

Columbus drafted Werenski eighth overall in 2015. He's produced 270 points in 450 career games since breaking into the NHL as a 19-year-old.

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