Zach Werenski sends a strong message after a summer of Blue Jackets trade rumors

The reigning Norris Trophy winner addressed the media on Thursday for what he called the only time he plans to speak publicly about the trade rumors that have followed him all summer, and his message was about as clear as it gets.

The Blue Jackets defenseman pushed back on the idea that he ever wanted out of Columbus, framing much of what circulated over the past few weeks as misconstrued or flat out untrue.

It's been a wild offseason for him.

Reports had Columbus and Dallas closing in on a deal before Werenski blocked the move himself, a decision that reportedly frustrated him further once details of the negotiations leaked to reporters.

Despite all that, he showed up Thursday sounding like a guy who never wanted to leave in the first place.

He has two years remaining on his current deal and cannot sign an extension with the Blue Jackets until July 1, 2027, so nothing changes on paper today.

But the tone of his comments suggests he's not counting down the days until he can test the market elsewhere.

Losing a 28 year old, back to back 80 point defenseman would have been a massive blow for a franchise trying to build real momentum.

Werenski's comments line up with general manager Don Waddell's earlier statement, and together they paint a picture of a front office and a star player back on the same page, at least for now.

Whether that holds until 2027 is the real question hanging over Columbus.

However, fans in Columbus can definitely breathe a little easier heading into training camp.

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