Blue Jackets lose Werenski for the rest of the season

The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that defenceman Zach Werenski will be out for the rest of the season due to a inguinal/sports hernia. He'll undergo abdominal surgery next week and is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2021-22 season.

Check it out:

The 23 year old Werenski has seven goals and 20 points in 35 games this season, leading all Blue Jackets defensemen in goals and ranking second in points. He also ranks second on the club in averaging 24:22 TOI per game.

Obviously, this is a devastating blow to a team whose playoffs hopes were already clinging by a thread.

"Zach has been playing through the injury for most of the season and as much as we would like to have him in the lineup, having the surgery now is the right decision and will allow him to be 100 percent before the start of training camp in the fall," said GM Jarmo Kekalainen in a prepared statement.

Given the team's spot in the standings and the work ahead of them, I think it's probably safe to say that this season has been an abject failure for the Blue Jackets.