The Columbus Blue Jackets sit tied with 68 points with the New York Rangers but ahead on points percentage. New York got a point out of Ottawa on Saturday, but it was just one of the possible two.
The only way for the Rangers to improve their playoff race hopes is to earn both points against Columbus and move ahead of Ottawa and the Blue Jackets in the standings. New York enters the matchup with a 31-26-6 overall record compared to the Blue Jackets' 30-24-8. While the Rangers are coming off an OT 4-3 loss, Columbus is coming off a 3-0 regulation loss against the Florida Panthers.
Records, recent matchup and playoff hopes aside, defenseman Zach Werenski is obviously the opposing team's player to watch ahead of the March 9th matchup.
Zach Werenski
The 27-year-old Blue Jacket was named to the United States roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off during a 2024-25 season in which he blossomed into becoming one of the top defensemen in the NHL. He lead the Columbus Blue Jackets in scoring after 55 games with a new single-season Blue Jackets record at his position of 59 points. The prior season, his 46 assists passed the team record by a defenseman of 44 set all the way back in 2013-14.
The Michigan native is currently the team-leader with 66 points. He boasts 20 goals and 46 assists, with the assists also leading the team in that same category.
Werenski most recently scored two goals on March 4th against Tampa Bay and then tallied two assists the game prior.
After finishing his sophomore season at Michigan, Werenski signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets on March 29, 2016. Werenski has now signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Blue Jackets on Sept. 9, 2019.
How to Tune In
The back-to-back matchup for the Rangers at Madison Square Garden has a puck drop slated for 6:00 p.m. EST. The game is available for streaming via Fubo and be sure to tune into Blue Line Station's Twitter for live updates.