Zach Werenski Trade Talks Heat Up. One Canadian Team Makes His List.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are fielding calls on Zach Werenski, and the list of suitors is getting long. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that eight to ten teams have already checked in on the star defenseman, with the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes among the early interested parties. But here’s the twist that got people talking in Canada: the only Canadian team Werenski would reportedly consider is the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Werenski just won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. He’s 28 years old, coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 20 goals and 80 points, and he’s logging over 26 minutes a night. That kind of production from the blue line doesn’t hit the trade market often. His contract runs through 2028 at $9.5 million per year, which gives any team that acquires him two playoff runs before his no-movement clause softens into a 10-team no-trade list in July 2027.

Why Toronto makes sense for Werenski

The connection between Werenski and Leafs captain Auston Matthews is real. They won Olympic gold together for Team USA. They share the same agent in Judd Moldaver. Both are under contract through July 1, 2028. And Werenski grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, about a four-hour drive from Toronto. It’s not hard to connect the dots.

But the Blue Jackets aren’t just giving him away. Columbus GM Don Waddell is expected to meet with Werenski next week, but the club is already listening to offers. Any trade package would be substantial. Early speculation includes names like Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, Colorado’s 2027 first-round pick, Nick Robertson, Dennis Hildeby, and maybe even Morgan Rielly to balance the salary cap math.

What this would mean for the Leafs

Toronto has been searching for a true No. 1 defenseman for years. Morgan Rielly is a good player, but he’s not that guy. Werenski is that guy. Pairing him with the offensive firepower already in the lineup would give the Maple Leafs a blue line they haven’t had since the days of Tomas Kaberle. Or maybe ever. It would be one of the biggest roster moves this organization has made in a long time.

For Columbus, the timing is tricky. Werenski has two years left on his deal and a full no-movement clause through 2027. The Blue Jackets could hold on and try to sell him on the future, but if he’s not signing an extension, moving him now while his value is at its peak makes sense. The risk of waiting is getting stuck in a situation where the leverage shifts to the player closer to free agency.

Teams like Dallas and Philadelphia are reportedly keen, per LeBrun. The Stars have the pieces and the need. The Flyers are building something and might see Werenski as a cornerstone. But the most interesting name on that list might be the one that wasn’t there before: the Leafs. And if Toronto can pull this off, it changes everything about how that team is built.