- Zach Werenski shut down the trade drama and said he wants to stay in Columbus
- The Norris winner reportedly vetoed a deal to Dallas built around Thomas Harley
- Read below for Werenski’s full statement and what GM Don Waddell said
Zach Werenski isn’t going anywhere.
The Blue Jackets defenseman ended a week of trade speculation Wednesday, releasing a statement that left no doubt about where he wants to be. He’s staying in Columbus.
“Ideally, this wouldn’t have become such a public thing, but that is the world we live in now, and everything got blown out of proportion in my opinion,” Werenski said. “I want to win, and I want to do that in Columbus. As I’ve thought about things and discussed everything with my wife and family, we want to be in Columbus. It has been my home for the past 10 years, and I have always been proud to be a Blue Jacket.”
That’s a full reversal from where things stood a few days ago. A report Friday said Werenski wasn’t willing to sign an extension next offseason, which pushed Columbus to start listening to trade offers.
It got close, too. Werenski reportedly vetoed a deal to Dallas on Tuesday that would have sent a package headlined by Thomas Harley the other way. His preference at the time was to stay in the East, with Tampa Bay and Toronto seen as agreeable spots. Carolina, Philadelphia, and San Jose reportedly checked in as well.
Then everyone hit the brakes. Darren Dreger reported that Werenski, his agent, and GM Don Waddell talked things through to clear the air:
Waddell backed up the change of heart in his own statement. He said the two met in the spring, found a deal that worked for the club, and brought it to the player.
“After some time and discussions with his family, Zach informed us that he didn’t want to leave Columbus,” Waddell said. “He has invested a great deal in this organization, and after coming close and falling short the past two seasons, his desire is to win here and get this team back into the playoffs.”
Keeping Werenski matters. The 28-year-old won the Norris Trophy last season with 22 goals and 81 points in 75 games, and he finished runner-up the year before. He’s signed for two more seasons at $9.58 million and can’t sign an extension until July 1, 2027.
Columbus lost captain Boone Jenner to Washington earlier today. Keeping its Norris-winning defenseman makes that departure a lot easier to stomach.
