Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell Reiterates There Is No Animosity with Star Defenseman Zach Werenski
Don Waddell said there was no miscommunication with Zach Werenski and that future contract talks will hinge on how the season unfolds.
- Following reports of a potential exit, star defenseman Zach Werenski will remain with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the upcoming season after rejecting a trade to the Dallas Stars.
- General Manager Don Waddell met with Werenski and agent Judd Moldaver on Wednesday to address trade speculation, with both sides issuing statements focusing on the upcoming season.
- Werenski, the 2015 eighth overall pick, won his first Norris Trophy this past season with 59 assists and has two years remaining on his contract, which includes a full no-trade clause.
- Waddell said Thursday at the rookie development camp that Werenski's veto of the Dallas trade reflected a desire to stay in Columbus, with the team potentially naming him next captain.
- With Werenski remaining, the organization aims to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020, while Waddell indicated future contract negotiations will depend on how the season unfolds.
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Who Are the Columbus Blue Jackets, Exactly?
Where are the Columbus Blue Jackets heading? The answer is murky. Since 2000, the franchise has compiled nine winning seasons, six playoff appearances, one second-round appearance, and endured plenty of heartbreak. Their 847 regular-season wins rank 29th in the NHL, ahead of only recent expansion and relocated franchises. The Blue Jackets’ most consistent identity came under John Tortorella. Those teams were built to be hard to play against…
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Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell reiterates there is no animosity with star defenseman Zach Werenski
Zach Werenski decided in less than an hour to reject a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Dallas Stars.
NHL Trade Rumors: Why Did Zach Werenski Reject A Trade To The Dallas Stars as Connor Hellebuyck Talk Continues?
Zach Werenski rejected a trade to the Dallas Stars and remains with the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Connor Hellebuyck continues to generate NHL trade interest.
Werenski didn't want to go to Dallas — or anywhere. Here's what he told the Blue Jackets
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The future of Zach Werenski in Columbus nearly ended when Don Waddell and the Blue Jackets had an offer from the Dallas Stars to trade the reigning Norris Trophy winner.
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