Zach Werenski gets 100% real on Blue Jackets future after trade veto

Zach Werenski was oh-so-close to leaving the Columbus Blue Jackets behind earlier this offseason, but the superstar defenseman vetoed a potential trade to the Dallas Stars in late June.

The 29-year-old later reiterated his commitment to Ohio, and he doubled down on that sentiment at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour on Tuesday.

“When all that stuff was swirling I knew I wanted to be a Blue Jacket, I wanted to win here and I believe in our group,” he told reporters, per NHL.com’s Dan Rosen. “It was just a lot of madness, a lot of craziness, a lot of stuff that I didn’t know that I was reading about me. But I think deep down it really proved to me that Columbus is where I want to play, where I want to win and where I want to be for a long time, and this is the group I want to win with.”

The future of the most important player on the Blue Jackets’ roster has been a hot topic, but it looks like a contract extension will be the most likely outcome, rather than a trade.

Werenski has two seasons remaining on the six-year, $57.5 million contract he signed in 2021 and won’t be eligible to sign an extension until July 1, 2027. But it certainly sounds like he’s committed to Ohio for the long haul.

“When there was even a shadow of doubt that I might not be in Columbus I was like, ‘That’s not happening, I’m playing in Columbus,'” he added. “It cemented my belief I guess even more that this is where I want to be, this is where I want to play, this is where I want to win.”

Werenski is fresh off winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, scoring 81 points in 75 regular-season games. It was his second straight campaign playing at over a point-per-game pace and leading Columbus in scoring.

He also played a starring role on Team USA’s gold medal-winning Olympic team in February, setting up Jack Hughes for the golden goal against Canada.

If Columbus hopes to break a lengthy Stanley Cup Playoff drought that dates back to 2020-21, Werenski will be the focal point, as he has been for the better part of his tenure with the franchise.

The Blue Jackets open their 2026-27 season against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 1.

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