Maple Leafs Eye 28-Year-Old Zach Werenski as Blue Jackets Take Trade Calls

Q: Can the Blue Jackets' return for Werenski finally break the franchise's cycle of losing its top stars?

Yes—but only if Columbus turns a Werenski trade into immediate, core NHL talent and then proves it can win with that group. The Blue Jackets’ history is not just about stars leaving; it is about failing to convert those exits into sustained success. Rick Nash, Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Seth Jones all departed, and Columbus never built lasting momentum afterward. That is why Don Waddell’s stance matters: he is reportedly prioritizing “players” over picks, trying to avoid another long rebuild and mirror the Nash trade logic of getting NHL-ready help. Werenski’s value gives Columbus a real chance. He is 28, a Norris winner, under contract through 2028, and coming off back-to-back 20-goal, 80-point seasons. Even with his no-movement clause limiting leverage, a team like Toronto would likely have to pay with meaningful assets such as Matthew Knies, a top prospect like Easton Cowan or Ben Danford, and a premium pick. In this market, elite defensemen are scarce, so Columbus can reasonably demand an overpay. But a strong return alone would not break the cycle. Trading Werenski would still be another case of a franchise cornerstone wanting out. The cycle ends only if the Blue Jackets use the return to stay competitive, develop their young core, and convince players such as Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko that Columbus is a place to win. If the return is mostly futures or the team slips backward, it will look like the same story again—just with a bigger headline.

3 articles · Updated · Sportsnet.ca · Jun 27

Toronto has emerged as the only Canadian team reportedly in the mix for Zach Werenski, the 28-year-old Norris Trophy winner who is said to be open to waiving his no-movement clause.
Columbus GM Don Waddell is taking calls because his understanding is that Werenski is not interested in a long-term extension, pushing the Blue Jackets to explore a move before his leverage drops.
Waddell said he wants NHL players rather than draft picks, making Matthew Knies a logical centerpiece and potentially bringing prospects like Easton Cowan or Ben Danford into any package.
Werenski, signed through July 1, 2028 at $9.58 million annually, would give Toronto the true No. 1 defenseman it has long lacked, but acquiring and then keeping him would be a costly gamble.