According to multiple reports, Zach Werenski is available, and that alone is enough to light up the trade market. The 2026 Norris Trophy winner has told the Columbus Blue Jackets he wants to move on, and any team serious about contending should at least be making the call.
That’s because Werenski is not just a big name. He’s been one of the league’s most impactful defensemen, with back-to-back 80-point seasons and a profile that screams difference-maker.
Over the last three seasons, Columbus has posted a plus-48 goal differential and a 52.3% expected goals share with him on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. The contrast was obvious in 2025-26, when the Blue Jackets were much worse without him.
The contract won’t scare off the right suitor, either. Werenski has two seasons left on his deal at a $9.5 million average annual value, and with the salary cap climbing, that number suddenly looks manageable. With Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes due for new deals in the next year, Werenski may even look like a bargain.
So where could this go? A handful of teams make real sense.
San Jose is one of them. Before the 2026 NHL Draft, there were already whispers that the Sharks might be willing to move the No. 9 overall pick for an established defenseman.
Morgan Rielly had been linked to them, but Werenski is the bigger swing. He would give San Jose a true No. 1 defenseman and add offense at even strength and on the power play.
The Sharks have the cap space and the assets, and they were only four points out of a playoff spot last season despite a thin blue line and little forward depth.
Detroit also belongs in the conversation. Steve Yzerman could make a franchise-shaping move here, and pairing Werenski with Moritz Seider would give the Red Wings two bona fide No. 1 defensemen.
It could also help keep captain Dylan Larkin in the fold, especially with Werenski being both his Team USA teammate and fellow Michigander. Simon Edvinsson would likely have to be part of the discussion, but Detroit has the cap room and draft capital to get creative.
Tampa Bay is another obvious fit. After sending Darren Raddysh to the Maple Leafs in a sign-and-trade, the Lightning have a need on the back end, and Julien BriseBois is never shy about chasing elite talent.
Werenski would cost just $1 million more per season than Raddysh and brings a far more complete game. The cap situation is tight with $13.1 million available before free agency, according to PuckPedia, but most of the roster is already set for 2026-27.
That gives Tampa some room to maneuver, even if it has to move money out.
Anaheim checks a lot of boxes, too. The Ducks were rough defensively last season, and they could lose Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas and John Carlson to free agency.
Werenski would instantly transform the blue line while fitting the up-tempo style Joel Quenneville has brought to the offense. Anaheim has $44.6 million in cap space, plus two first-round picks and two second-round picks from last year’s draft, but the challenge would be if Columbus wants established NHL players rather than futures.
The Ducks don’t have a ton of prime-age pieces they should be eager to move.
Dallas is the kind of team that should be chasing this level of player. The Stars are already strong, but their defense has leaned too heavily on only a few names.
Werenski would change that immediately, though it would likely take a major piece to get it done - perhaps Thomas Harley, who is 24 and signed at $10.5 million per season through 2033-34. If Harley is included, Dallas would be getting superior defense without giving up offense.
And the idea of Werenski alongside Miro Heiskanen is hard to ignore after Dallas’ first-round playoff exit.
Then there’s New Jersey, where the fit is as much about star power as structure. The Devils could reunite Werenski with Jack Hughes after their "Golden Goal" heroics, and on paper, it works.
New Jersey has been linked to Quinn Hughes, but waiting for that possibility may be too late. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt are in their prime now, and the Devils can’t sit around hoping for another move to solve the defense.
To make this happen, they’d likely need to move Dougie Hamilton and his $9 million salary, which could complicate things because Hamilton has a 10-team trade list. If New Jersey can clear that hurdle, though, Werenski would give them a major boost and more flexibility elsewhere on the roster.
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One Year Later John Gibson Trade Still Haunts Ducks Rebuild Debate
A year after Anaheim dealt John Gibson, the trade still sits in that uneasy middle ground where neither side can declare victory and neither can quite move on. The Ducks got Petr Mrazek plus future draft capital in return, while Gibson landed in Detroit and immediately gave the Red Wings a steady presence in net during his first season there.
For Anaheim, the debate is less about what happened than what comes next. Mrazek was a short stop for the Ducks before being moved again, and the picks only matter if they turn into real help down the line. Until the second-round selection plays out and Gibsons Detroit future settles into a clearer shape, this one remains more of a wait-and-see evaluation than a clean rebuild win. [Read more 🡒]