COLUMBUS, Ohio — A collection of notes, insights, ruminations and did-you-knows gathered throughout the week that was for the Columbus Blue Jackets:
Item No. 1: Werenski ‘noise’
The news on Sunday that Brady Tkachuk had been traded to the Florida Panthers — that despite all of his public comments, he actually did want out of Ottawa — no doubt sent a shiver down the spine of Blue Jackets fans.
At this point, you’d have to be naive not to at least worry about Zach Werenski’s long-term future in Columbus, now that so many key members of USA Hockey’s national team have forced their trades to NHL cities and clubs for which they’d really like to play.
Quinn Hughes made it clear he wouldn’t sign in Vancouver and was traded to Minnesota. Two years earlier, Matthew Tkachuk made the same known in Calgary and was traded to Florida. Now his brother, Brady, has forced his way out of Ottawa to join him.
Dylan Larkin has asked the Detroit Red Wings for a trade. Connor Hellebuyck reportedly wants out of Winnipeg.
There are likely other shoes to drop, and Blue Jackets fans have to fear that two of them will belong to Werenski, who is now arguably the best player in franchise history.
To be fair, Werenski has not indicated anything publicly, other than his wish to make it work in Columbus. Throughout his time in Columbus, Werenski has always spoken openly and honestly, and we should assume no different now.
But the way the NHL is rapidly changing into an NBA-like funnel of top players to top teams, it’s putting fans on edge in a majority of the league’s markets.
Werenski has made repeated comments that his experiences with Team USA, including a gold medal in Italy this past winter, have reminded him of what it’s like to win, and that winning in the NHL is one blank line on his incredible resume.
After making the playoffs in Werenski’s first four seasons in Columbus, the Blue Jackets have gone six straight seasons without the postseason, tied with Chicago for the third-longest active streak in the league.
When taken at face value, Werenski’s words are perfectly reasonable and fairly benign. Who doesn’t want to win?
But when held against the reality that so many of his Team USA teammates are setting sail for new clubs, they can also land like a mild threat.
Zach Werenski thought this was just a regular family BBQ, but he was in for quite a surprise! 🎉
His whole family was on hand to celebrate the first James Norris Memorial Trophy of his career! #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/Rqr8iUP4Tp
— NHL (@NHL) June 2, 2026
Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell had breakfast with Werenski a few days before he won the Norris Trophy last month.
Their relationship is on firm footing, Waddell said, and Werenski has been kept well aware of what Waddell and his staff want to accomplish this summer as far as roster upgrades. Werenski may well be the club’s next captain if Boone Jenner moves along via free agency.
On Saturday, Waddell said he spoke with agent Judd Moldaver about all of the rumors circling Werenski’s future in Columbus.
“First of all, we can’t talk about a future contract, right, because he’s got two years left on his current (contract),” Waddell said. “But I know there’s a lot of noise out there.
“When I talked with Moldaver (about the “noise”), he says the same thing that I’ve said, that he doesn’t know where it’s coming from. I think (Werenski) wants to be a part of it here.”
Two weeks ago, it was written in this space that Waddell and the Blue Jackets faced enormous pressure to win this coming season before they head to the negotiating table with Moldaver and Werenski next summer.
But The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun advanced that timetable last week, reporting that Werenski’s decision — is he staying in Columbus, or seeking greener pastures? — could be known by later this summer depending on the moves Waddell is able to make in free agency, trades, etc.
Werenski is making the most of his offseason, and you can’t begrudge him that. It’s been a whirlwind last two years, with three international tournaments, two banner NHL seasons, his own wedding, the birth of his first child, etc. He’s lying low right now, recharging for the 2026-27 season.
But even if Werenski made public comments about his love for Columbus, his desire to stay here for the entirety of his career, his positive outlook for the franchise’s future, and so on, the words might ring hollow given all we’ve seen across the league in recent months.
Nobody will rest easy — not Blue Jackets fans, not Waddell, not Blue Jackets ownership — until Werenski’s name is on a contract extension, and that can’t happen until July 1, 2027.
That’ll be here before you know it, but it might also seem interminable.
Item No. 2: Draft week!
If this week goes as desired for the Blue Jackets, they won’t be drafting a player with the No. 14 selection. It’s “go time” in Columbus, and Waddell seems more interested in boosting his 2026-27 (and beyond) lineup than he is in adding another prospect to the pool.
But that doesn’t mean the Blue Jackets won’t hold onto that pick and draft a player.
Really, the same desire to move the organization’s rebuild forward existed during last year’s draft, too, but the Jackets — without any offers of immediate help that blew them away — stood pat at No. 14 and selected defenseman Jackson Smith, now a rising sophomore at Penn State.
The same scenario could play out when the draft is staged on Friday and Saturday in Buffalo.
A spot in the middle of the picking order is no-man’s land. Those picks don’t have singular value for an impact player, but they can be used as sweeteners to help swing a deal. They also leave clubs out of the running for players who can make an immediate impact.
But there’s still a chance for the Blue Jackets to add an immensely talented player.
While NHL clubs don’t make draft picks based on their current lineup soft spots, they most definitely take their future into account.
“You have to look at your prospects pool,” Waddell said. “And, you know, we have a pretty good left-shot defenseman coming.”
That’s Smith, of course, who could be seen in Columbus by the end of the 2026-27 season if Penn State’s season ends soon enough. While he may spend time in the AHL, Smith is almost certain to be an NHL player in 2027-28.
But the forward ranks could use a boost, especially with question marks surrounding center Cayden Lindstrom, the No. 4 pick in 2024. Lindstrom had an underwhelming freshman season at Michigan State after missing most of the previous year following back surgery.
So, ideally, the Blue Jackets will pick a forward, even though Waddell allowed that there are a few defensemen — this is a good draft for blueliners — who may still be on the board with the No. 14 pick.
Waddell has spoken to at least two clubs, he said, about trading up from No. 14 to a spot in the top eight to 10 picks. For many NHL scouts, that’s where the second tier of prospects ends, although each club’s pecking order can vary greatly.
Here are three players we’ll be watching for with the Blue Jackets at No. 14:
Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)
This would represent a big break for the Blue Jackets, as Belchetz is anticipated to go toward the back end of the top 10 picks. Waddell could easily justify trading up a few spots for a player like Belchetz.
He’s a 6-foot-5, 228-pound winger who has a ton of skill, skates well and throws his body around like a power forward, the type that are rare in today’s fast-paced NHL. He’s heading to Michigan State in the fall, where he’ll join forces with Lindstrom.
Wyatt Cullen, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
No player has had a bullet next to their name over the last couple of years quite like Cullen, the son of three-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Cullen.
He’s gone from being a late-round consideration to a sure-fire first-rounder, and quite possibly a top-10 pick on some teams’ boards. It’s his elusive skating and his high-end skill, which really blossomed when he hit a growth spurt.
He’s headed to the University of Minnesota in the fall.
Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA)
Hemming is another big, rugged forward who can change the look of a lineup just by his presence and by how hard he competes. Hemming is already 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, with a frame that suggests he’s going to grow a bit more.
It’s fair to wonder if he’s going to be a big scorer — he had only one goal in 19 games last season as a freshman at Boston College — but more is expected this season with a bigger role. Scouts say he has the skill to be a reliable scorer.
Item No. 3: Off to market
With 10 days to go before the start of free agency, it appears that all three of the Blue Jackets’ significant free agents — forwards Boone Jenner, Mason Marchment, and defenseman Erik Gudbranson — are set to hit the market.
Jenner, who turned 33 this month, is looking for a long-term contract. It would be hard for the Blue Jackets to bid farewell to their captain, but they don’t want Jenner on an extended contract given his age and injury history.
Marchment, who turned 31 last week, hasn’t yet had his big NHL payday, and he’s hitting the market at the right time, with the salary cap soaring and clubs flush with spending money. Waddell and Marchment’s agent, Paul Capizzano, met over the weekend, but a deal doesn’t seem likely.
Gudbranson, 34, would like to stay in Columbus. But in this case, it’s the Blue Jackets playing the market, seeing if they can upgrade their third defensive pair. There’s a chance they will circle back to Gudbranson if the market doesn’t deliver.
It’s unlikely that any of the players’ rights will be traded in advance of July 1, a source told The Athletic after being granted anonymity to speak about sensitive team matters.
The Blue Jackets plan to play Werenski and Damon Severson on the top pair and Denton Mateychuk and Ivan Provorov on the second.
The third pair, as of today, would be Jake Christiansen and Dante Fabbro, but Christiansen, with one year remaining on his contract, could be bounced into the No. 7 role if Waddell adds a blueliner or re-signs Gudbranson.
It would likely be a short-term contract, as the Blue Jackets expect Smith to arrive the following season.
Item No. 4: Snacks
• Expect the Blue Jackets to announce the long-anticipated hiring of assistant coach Trent Vogelhuber this week. The other coaching hire might not take place until after the draft, Waddell said. Meanwhile, Vogelhuber’s promotion from AHL Cleveland leaves a head coaching vacancy with the Monsters. Waddell said assistant general manager Chris Clark and director of player personnel Rick Nash are handling the search and are down to four or five candidates. One of them is Chris Bergeron, a longtime college coach at Bowling Green and Miami U., who joined the Monsters staff as Vogelhuber’s top assistant two seasons ago.
• For what it’s worth, Waddell said he’s been starting trade conversations with rival GMs by asking them if the player he’s targeting has the Blue Jackets as a “no-trade” destination on their modified no-trade lists as part of their contracts. “I spoke with two GMs this week about guys who had a 10- or a 15-team no-trade list, or whatever,” Waddell said, “and we weren’t on it. So that’s good. That’s gotten better. It’s a good sign.”
• Waddell traveled last week to Florida for the Gold Star Hockey camp, specifically for Russian players who are eligible to be drafted. It was at this camp last year that Waddell and his scouts became enamored with goaltender Pyotr Andreyanov, whom they selected with the No. 20 pick.
• Goaltender Sergei Ivanov has an expiring contract, but he’s shown some reluctance to make the leap to North America. It could still happen next season, but there’s also the possibility that the Blue Jackets sign Ivanov to an entry-level deal this summer, then loan him to his club in Russia’s KHL — St. Petersburg SKA — for the 2026-27 season. He could join AHL Cleveland in March, or whenever St. Petersburg’s season ends, and would be able to ramp up to a full season on 2027-28 and beyond. There’s a language barrier at work here, and, as of now, there are no other Russians on the club in Cleveland.
• One player who could help is winger Kirill Dolzhenkov, the 6-6, 225-pound behemoth the Blue Jackets drafted in the fourth round (No. 109) in 2022. Dolzhenkov had talks with the Blue Jackets about signing to play with AHL Cleveland for the upcoming season, but instead has re-upped in Russia (Omsk Avangard) for one more season. If he makes the leap next spring, he could join Cleveland at the same time as Ivanov.
• The contract signings continue to trickle in for the Blue Jackets. Defenseman Corson Ceulemans, the No. 25 pick in the 2021 draft, signed a one-year, two-way contract last week that will pay him $850,000 at the NHL level and $95,000 with AHL Cleveland. Ceulemans started to come on last season, his third as a pro, totaling eight goals, 26 assists and 43 penalty minutes, all career highs. We’ll see what happens in camp, but Ceulemans could be in line for a Columbus call-up this season if he continues to progress, especially on the defensive end.
• Ceulemans is one of four players taken in the first round of the 2021 draft who have yet to appear in an NHL game. The others: Tyler Boucher (No. 10, Ottawa), Chaz Lucius (No. 18, Winnipeg) and Chase Stillman (No. 29, New Jersey).
• Monday Gathering trivia question: The Vegas Golden Knights promoted Ryan Craig to head coach last week, making him the fifth former Blue Jackets player to become an NHL head coach. Can you name the other four?
• Qualifying offers are due to restricted free agents by 5 p.m. on June 29, or one week from today. Of course players such as Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, Jet Greaves will be qualified if they haven’t already signed extensions, but those talks have barely crept forward. Others likely to get qualifying offers are AHL forwards Mikael Pyyhtiä, Hunter McKown and Jack Williams.
• The Blue Jackets will not extend a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Egor Zamula, Waddell said. Zamula has reportedly signed to play in Russia next season, but a qualifying offer would have allowed the Jackets to protect his rights. It also would have included a one-way contract for Zamula, which wasn’t going to happen.
• Oddly, there’s a chance that the Blue Jackets will extend a qualifying offer to defenseman Stanislav Svozil, even though he reportedly signed to play next season in his native Czechia. Why? Because Waddell said Svozil’s agent has told him the deal in Czechia is not yet finalized. It would be a minor-league deal for Svozil, who is not seen as an NHL hopeful.
• Trivia answer: The four former Blue Jackets players who have been NHL head coaches are Kevin Dineen (Florida), Luke Richardson (Chicago), Adam Foote and Manny Malhotra (Vancouver). Malhotra was hired to replace Foote with the Canucks this month.
