Zach Werenski is staying in Columbus, at least to start next season, according to insider Elliotte Friedman.
Friedman delivered the update this week on 32 Thoughts, addressing speculation that had been building around his future.
"I expect that he'll start next year in Columbus," Friedman said, putting a firm timeline on where things stand.
That should calm a fan base that watched trade rumors swirl around its best defenseman for weeks.
The numbers explain why those rumors carried weight in the first place.
Werenski posted 22 goals and 59 assists for 81 points over 75 games this past season, a career-level number from the back end.
He did cool off late, managing just 4 points over his final 10 games with a minus-5 rating in that stretch.
His 81-point season raised the stakes on this rumor
He is signed at a $9.58 million cap hit, real money for a player performing like a legitimate top-pairing piece.
Columbus finished 40-30-12 for 92 points and 18th overall, a middling result that still leaned heavily on his production.
The season did not end cleanly either. Columbus closed out 2-7-1 over its final ten games under a coaching staff still finding its footing.
Head coach Rick Bowness only took over in January, meaning he inherited Werenski and the rest of this group mid-season.
General manager Don Waddell now gets a defined runway, knowing his top defenseman is not going anywhere before puck drop.
Friedman's comments aired on the July 6th episode of 32 Thoughts, making this the clearest signal yet that a trade is not imminent.
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"Start" is doing a lot of work in that sentence, though. Nothing there rules out a different outcome once the season is actually underway.
For now, Columbus gets to build its next lineup around a defenseman it clearly cannot afford to lose.
Should the Blue Jackets lock up Zach Werenski long term right now?
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