Zach Werenski may have popped up on the Flyers’ radar this offseason, but don’t expect anything close to an immediate move.
Philadelphia’s front office made it clear this summer that it’s willing to swing big if a star becomes available, and the Leo Carlsson offer sheet was proof of that. It got matched by the Anaheim Ducks, but it also reminded everyone that Danny Briere is not afraid to chase a major upgrade. That naturally led to speculation about who could be next, and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski was one of the names that surfaced.
The buzz picked up around the NHL Draft, when Werenski’s future in Columbus was being questioned. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Flyers were among the teams with interest. Then came the twist: after a vetoed trade to the Dallas Stars, Werenski said he was committed to the Blue Jackets.
That commitment still stands, at least for now, but Werenski made it clear on Thursday that his patience is tied to results.
"I want to see us in the playoffs and make progress. I feel like we've done that," Werenski said, h/t ESPN.
"Winning solves everything, and that's where we have to get to as a club. We have to raise our standards and expectations, and that starts with myself.
I fully plan on doing that this year and be an even better player and leader. Hopefully, that means I'm here even longer."
The Blue Jackets are in a spot where that kind of talk matters. Werenski is under contract for the next two seasons, and then he would hit unrestricted free agency. So while he’s staying put for now, the door isn’t exactly slammed shut forever.
Last season, Columbus looked like a team ready to punch back into the playoffs before the finish went sideways. The Blue Jackets dropped 3-9-1 over their final 13 games and wound up well outside the postseason picture.
That slump led head coach Rick Bowness, who had helped steady the team earlier in the calendar year, to unload on the players and question whether they cared enough about losing. Werenski pushed back on that idea.
“I have a ton of respect for him. He loves us as players, and we love him as a coach,” Werenski said, h/t Sportsnet.
“We need to learn how to win, and he can help us with that. He’s been around a long time and knows what it takes.
We haven’t done it enough - it’s clear. But saying we don’t care or don’t hate to lose, I think that’s wrong.”
The trade chatter didn’t stop there. The Blue Jackets reportedly accepted a deal from the Stars, but Werenski blocked it. After talking things through with general manager Don Waddell, the two sides got aligned, and Werenski is set to remain with Columbus through the 2026-27 season at minimum.
For the Flyers, that means patience. Werenski isn’t an active trade target right now, and any chance of Philadelphia getting involved would depend on how this season goes in Columbus. Werenski hasn’t committed to an extension yet, but that could change if the Blue Jackets push into real playoff and Stanley Cup contention.
Philadelphia could certainly use a defenseman of his caliber. Rasmus Ristolainen is scheduled to become a free agent after this upcoming season, while Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, and Cam York are already locked in for the foreseeable future. Werenski would bring more than just top-end defending, too - he’s a puck-mover and scorer, and that kind of presence would give the Flyers another jolt, especially on the power play.
For now, though, the wait continues. If Columbus falters again, the conversation could heat up. But as things stand, Werenski doesn’t look like a Flyers trade option anytime soon.
In Other News...
Flyers May Have A Buy Low Center Option Worth Watching
The Flyers search for a top-six center is already shaping up to be one of the bigger roster questions heading into the 2026-27 season, and it has opened the door to some buy-low possibilities around the league. One name worth keeping in the conversation is Connor Zary, a young center in Calgary whose profile fits the kind of swing Philadelphia could explore if it wants to add upside without paying full price.
Zary has shown enough in his past work to suggest there could still be another level to unlock, which is exactly why he is drawing trade buzz. For a Flyers team trying to map out its future down the middle, a player like that makes sense as a candidate to watch, even if the fit and the cost end up determining whether the idea goes any further. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers 2020 Draft Class Says Plenty About How That Era Went
The 2020 NHL Draft was supposed to be a meaningful pivot point for the Flyers, a chance to restock the pipeline and give the organization a cleaner future. Instead, looking back at that class now says a lot about how uneven that era turned out to be. Philadelphia made five selections, and while Tyson Foerster has grown into a notable contributor at the NHL level, the rest of the group has mostly taken a more complicated path through pro hockey.
Emil Andrae did reach the NHL before eventually being dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs, while the other picks have spent their time largely in the AHL and ECHL, with some no longer in the Flyers organization at all. It is the kind of draft haul that reflects both the hope teams attach to that weekend and the long, often messy reality that follows, especially for a club still sorting through the legacy of those years. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Still Have One Intriguing Young Center Trade Option
The Flyers still have work to do if they want to add more young center depth, and the search does not have to stop with free agency or the draft. Philadelphia can still poke around the trade market, where age and upside matter just as much as immediate help, and that keeps a few intriguing names in play for a club trying to build a deeper middle down the line.
One possible path runs through San Jose, where a promising young center has started to turn a strong AHL season into real attention around the league. For the Flyers, the appeal is obvious: a player with size, skill and room to grow could fit the kind of long-term roster puzzle they are trying to solve. The harder part is getting him out of an organization that has every reason to value what he brings, which is why this remains more of an idea than a completed move for now. [Read more 🡒]