The Maple Leafs are expected to be in the hunt if the Columbus Blue Jackets decide to move Zach Werenski, and Elliotte Friedman isn’t exactly leaving much room for doubt about Toronto’s interest.
On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman said the Leafs would absolutely check in on the Norris Trophy winner, while also pointing out that Werenski’s full no-movement clause gives him the final say.
“He’s got a no-move clause. He’s got all the say,” Friedman said.
” … I do think Toronto will try. I 100% believe that Toronto will try.
But let’s say Toronto makes the deal. We’ve talked about how the Maple Leafs are going to be all in over the next two years.”
“By the way, I kind of liked what they did to restock their cupboard a little bit. Who knows how many of these kids are going to turn out, but I like what they did to restock their cupboard a bit.”
He then added, “I think Toronto could do it. Does Werenski think right now that’s the place to go?”
The chatter picked up after Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell confirmed he has spoken with Werenski’s camp, though he stopped short of saying the defenseman has asked for a trade.
“I think, for right now, there are some matters we’re dealing with that should probably stay internal,” Waddell said. “My plan is still to meet with Zach in the near future and see where he’s at.”
Waddell also noted, “We’ve had conversations with his agent, but there’s been no definitive plan for sure.”
Werenski’s trade value is as high as it has ever been. The 28-year-old won the 2026 Norris Trophy after piling up 81 points and logging more than 26 minutes a night. He is under contract through the 2027-28 season at a $9.58 million cap hit, which leaves Columbus in a strong negotiating position.
Friedman said he expects the situation to reach a resolution eventually.
“I do. I do,” he said when asked if that was inevitable.
He also stressed that front offices can’t let emotions drive these talks.
“At the end of the day, though, you have to put your emotions aside and make the best deal for your team,” Friedman said. “You have to do what’s best for your team.”
And there’s another layer every team has to weigh: what happens inside the room if the player stays put.
“They’re all asking, ‘What happens if we start next year with this guy on our team? What’s our room going to be like?'”
From Toronto’s side, the appeal is easy to see. General manager John Chayka has already changed the roster and kept enough cap flexibility for another swing at a major addition. Werenski would bring elite puck-moving ability and instantly upgrade the Maple Leafs’ blue line.
Columbus, though, has no incentive to move quickly. Waddell can wait for the best offer while continuing his conversations with Werenski. If Toronto wants to land one of the league’s top defensemen, it may have to outbid a crowded field before anything real gets done.
In Other News...
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Bowness has kept himself at arms length from the contract and trade conversations, saying he will coach the players who are in camp and leave the personnel side to Don Waddell and Judd Moldaver. Even so, the uncertainty hanging over major pieces of the roster is impossible to ignore, especially when it touches players the organization has leaned on as part of its longer-term plan. The next few months will tell whether this becomes a temporary disturbance or the start of a far bigger reset. [Read more 🡒]
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Beyond Nikishin, Carolina is also weighing the rest of the market for ways to strengthen its lineup, with unrestricted free agent Mason Marchment among the names tied to the team. The fit is obvious enough: a club with a mostly set core still has room to add, but the way it balances a key young defenseman against outside help could determine whether this summer is about fine-tuning or something closer to a roster reset. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Face Another Huge Decision On Elvis And Kent Johnson
The Blue Jackets are again staring at a roster decision that goes beyond simple asset management, with Aaron Portzline pointing to Kent Johnson as the kind of player Columbus is reluctant to move because of his skill and upside. That hesitation says as much about where the franchise is trying to go as any move on the table, since the front office is still weighing whether its next step should be built around young talent it believes in or around a cleaner reset elsewhere on the roster.
Elvis Merzlikins sits in a different category, but one that may be just as important for what Columbus wants next. The goalie situation has been a lingering issue, and the discussion around it is tied to a broader push to reshape the room and the teams culture before next season. Whether the Blue Jackets choose to make one of those changes, or hold on longer than expected, will say plenty about how aggressively they plan to alter the look and feel of this group. [Read more 🡒]