The NHL off-season has only just begun with the initial trade period, the NHL Draft and free agency beginning on Wednesday July 1st, but already it has been absolutely chaotic, and it’s not stopping anytime soon.
The league has already seen some massive names traded, with Brady Tkachuk, Jordan Kyrou, Mason McTavish, Simon Nemec, Alex Tuch and so many others dealt, and the day before free agency, things are getting crazier. Early in the day, Jacob Markstrom was acquired by the Florida Panthers to help take them back to the Stanley Cup, and according to a report, we almost got perhaps the biggest trade of the summer thus far.
Zach Werenski Turns Down Stanley Cup Contender
GettyZach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
For weeks now, the biggest name in the NHL expected to be moved this summer was Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, and at this point, it appears to be a matter of when, not if Werenski will be traded.
The reigning Norris Trophy winner has some control over where he goes, and that became official late in the evening as TSN’s Chris Johnson reported that he turned down a potential trade after the Blue Jackets had worked out the deal already.
That’s not the first time we’ve seen that happen in the past week, with Jason Robertson turning down the Seattle Kraken’s contract offer, but in this case, it’s absolutely shocking that Werenski did so, with fans stunned following Darren Dreger’s revelation of the team.
According to Dreger, it was the Dallas Stars that Werenski turned down, and even after the reports that the deal could get done if Dallas offered Thomas Harley in a trade, it appears as though Werenski has now shut down any idea of a deal getting done between the two parties.
Zach Werenski Reportedly Wants to Stay in the East
On paper, Werenski would be a perfect fit for the Dallas Stars, and if the team could add his explosive offensive play to the blue line to pair with Miro Heiskanen, it would give them a chance to finally get over the hump in the Western Conference.
The problem? According to all reports, Werenski wants to stay on the East coast, and while teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers are circling, the Tampa Bay Lightning remain his dream situation, according to Pierre LeBrun and David Pagnotta.
While Werenski turned down this deal, a trade should be expected in the very near future, and with teams in active conversation with the Blue Jackets, we are now purely in a bidding war for the reigning Norris Trophy winner. What we now do know officially is that Werenski won’t be headed to the West coast, so with Tampa Bay, Toronto and Philadelphia the leading candidates to land the star blue liner, don’t be shocked to see a deal get done in the next 24 hours as the landscape of the National Hockey League continues to change.
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