Zach Werenski is officially one of the most intriguing names on the NHL trade board this summer. And the list of teams already kicking the tires includes three that made the playoffs last season.
According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, and Philadelphia Flyers are among the early suitors for the Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman. LeBrun posted on X that at least a dozen teams will inquire overall, but those three are the ones to watch right now.
Werenski just put up 81 points in 75 games during the 2025-26 season. That’s a monster year for any blueliner, let alone one playing for a team that finished with 92 points and missed the playoffs. He also won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman, so yeah, the guy is legit.
The Blue Jackets have started listening to trade offers, according to LeBrun. He added that Columbus knows Werenski probably won’t sign an extension past his current deal. No guarantee he gets moved this summer, but the team might be looking at right now as the best time to cash in rather than waiting a year and risking a lower return.
Werenski has spent his entire 10-season NHL career with Columbus. He’s second on the franchise’s all-time scoring list with 465 points in 642 games, trailing only Rick Nash. That’s 135 goals and 330 assists for a guy who came in as a first-round pick back in 2015.
Of the three teams interested, the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup this past season. The Stars got bounced in the first round by the Minnesota Wild. And the Flyers beat the Penguins before losing to Carolina. So all three are contenders or close to it, which makes sense — Werenski is the kind of player who could push a good team over the top.
Nothing is imminent. But the phone is ringing in Columbus, and it’s not going to stop anytime soon.
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