Blue Jackets Urged to Pair Mateychuk with Werenski After Severson Injury

With Damon Severson out for the season, the Blue Jackets have a chance to unleash their top prospect on the top defensive pairing.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 7:33pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting overlapping planes of navy, green, and grey, conceptually representing the complex defensive challenges facing the Columbus Blue Jackets.A fractured, cubist interpretation of a high-stakes hockey matchup, reflecting the Blue Jackets' need to reconstruct their defensive pairings in the wake of an injury.Columbus Today

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been dealt a major blow with the news that defenseman Damon Severson will miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. As the team searches for answers to try to salvage their season, the author argues that the obvious solution is to pair top prospect Denton Mateychuk with star defenseman Zach Werenski on the top pairing.

Why it matters

The Blue Jackets have struggled since Severson's injury, losing four straight games. Pairing Mateychuk, who has been effective in limited minutes this season, with Werenski could provide a much-needed boost to the team's defense and help them make a playoff push.

The details

The author notes that with no other right-shot defensemen on the NHL roster, the Blue Jackets will have to play someone on their off-side to replace Severson. Mateychuk, who is third on the team in scoring from the blue line, is seen as the best option to keep up with Werenski's elite play. The author argues that other pairings, such as Werenski with Ivan Provorov or Erik Gudbranson, have not worked as well.

  • Damon Severson underwent shoulder surgery on April 2, 2026, and will miss the rest of the season.
  • The Blue Jackets have lost four straight games since Severson's injury.

The players

Damon Severson

A defenseman for the Columbus Blue Jackets who was having a strong season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

Zach Werenski

One of the Blue Jackets' elite defensemen, who the author believes would benefit from playing alongside top prospect Denton Mateychuk.

Denton Mateychuk

A top prospect for the Blue Jackets who has been effective in limited minutes this season and could be the answer to replace Severson on the top pairing.

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What’s next

The Blue Jackets will need to decide if they want to pair Mateychuk with Werenski on the top pairing in an effort to salvage their season and make a playoff push.

The takeaway

With Severson out for the season, the Blue Jackets have a chance to unleash their top prospect Denton Mateychuk on the top defensive pairing alongside star Zach Werenski. This could provide a much-needed boost to the team's struggling defense and help them make a playoff push.