Werenski excited to play for Babcock: 'You want your head coach to fire you up'

Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski is looking forward to playing under new head coach Mike Babcock this season.

Werenski, who missed the majority of last season with a shoulder injury, said Babcock has the Blue Jackets excited after missing the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.

"You want your head coach to fire you up and get your group going in the right direction," Werenski told NHL.com. "I think he's done that already just from a month being here, so everyone's really excited to get camp going and get a fresh start to the season."

Babcock is replacing Brad Larsen, who was fired in April after spending the previous two years behind the bench. Babcock last coached in the league with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019-20, when he was replaced after 23 games by current head coach Sheldon Keefe.

Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine called Babcock "hard but honest" last week and Werenski said the team is not concerned by the 60-year-old's reputation behind the bench.

"I think that's out the window," Werenski said. "I don't think guys have any second guesses on it. I think guys are really excited, actually, it seems from talking with the guys that have met with him already.

"Everyone kind of came away fired up and ready to go so that's important, right?"

Now healthy, Werenski will see his first game action since undergoing shoulder surgery on Nov. 29 this October. 

The 26-year-old had three goals and eight points in 15 games before the surgery last season. 

Signed at a cap hit of $9.58 million through 2027-28, Werenski has 79 goals and 245 points in 416 career games. He was drafted eighth overall by Columbus in 2015.