Report: Werenski unlikely to extend, Blue Jackets fielding trade offers

It’s already been a massive offseason in the NHL for player movement, and there’s a chance the 2025-26 Norris Trophy winner could be on the move, too.

According to a report from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Columbus Blue Jackets are aware that star defenseman Zach Werenski is unlikely to extend beyond his contract with the club, and they have begun the process of fielding trade offers in the event that they decide to move on now.

This report comes in spite of the fact that Blue Jackets general manager confirmed reports that Werenski and the club were going to meet after this weekend’s NHL Draft to discuss his future in remarks to the media earlier this week.

Werenski has two years left on a six-year contract that comes with a salary cap hit of $9,583,334. The Michigan native has been a Blue Jacket for his entire NHL career after being chosen with the No. 8 overall pick of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Werenski took home the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman this season after finishing as the runner-up in 2024-25. He has a no-movement clause this year that drops to a no-trade clause for the 2027-28 season that allows him to give Columbus a list of 10 teams to which he would accept a trade, according to PuckPedia.

The Blue Jackets have not appeared in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since the 2020 bubble postseason in Toronto, when they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.

Werenski is the fourth major NHL star from the American Olympic team that won gold in Milano-Cortina in February to either be traded, request a trade, or be heavily rumored to be dealt. Brady Tkachuk was traded from Ottawa to Florida earlier this week, while Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request went public weeks ago.

Werenski and goalie Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets are in the same boat, as the Jets are also reportedly fielding offers for the 2025 Hart Trophy winner.