Don Waddell won’t say, but uncertainty surrounds Zach Werenski’s future with Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS, Ohio — General manager Don Waddell is spending much of his time looking for immediate roster help for the Columbus Blue Jackets — a top-six or top-nine forward with some scoring punch, and a third-pair defenseman.

But there’s a bigger story that continues to percolate with the Blue Jackets.

Waddell offered little insight in a news conference Thursday, but he confirmed that the Columbus future of Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Zach Werenski is very much up in the air.

When asked pointedly whether Werenski has requested a trade, or has made it clear to the Blue Jackets that he doesn’t plan to stay with the club after his contract expires following the 2027-28 season, Waddell demurred.

“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.

“We’ve had conversations with his agent, but there’s been no definitive plan for sure.”

Werenski has made it clear in public comments that his successes playing for the United States internationally — at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the IIHF World Championship and, most recently, at the Olympics — have rekindled his passion for winning, especially at the NHL level.

The Blue Jackets made the playoffs in Werenski’s first four NHL seasons, but they have missed the postseason in six straight seasons, tied for the third-longest active streak in the league.

Maybe Werenski is waiting to see what improvements Waddell can make this offseason before committing beyond his current contract?

“That plays a part in it,” Waddell said. “(The meeting is) more of, ‘Do you want to play here long term?’

“Obviously, we can’t get into contract (talks) because he still has two years left, but I want to get a good sense of where he’s at. We’ll see where he’s at and take it from there.”

Neither Werenski nor his agent, Judd Moldaver, responded to The Athletic’s request for comment.

Waddell did not indicate when exactly the meeting with Werenski will be held, but the fact that it’s set for after this weekend’s NHL Draft is curious. The draft is always a rich opportunity for NHL GMs to swing deals, and the build-up to this year’s event has been especially chaotic.

But that’s not how Waddell sees it.

“I’ve told everybody we’re dealing with that we’re not talking about draft picks at this point,” Waddell said. “If we’re going to trade any players off our team, we need players.

“To trade any player for a first-round pick, that may sound good. But it doesn’t do us any good for the next three years. I don’t think the draft, in this case, has any impact on what we do with (Werenski).”

It’s not just draft picks that are being moved this weekend, though. Several key NHL players have changed clubs, and that trend is expected to continue — or increase — over the next few days.

If the Blue Jackets get to Sunday and realize Werenski doesn’t want to stay in Columbus beyond his current contract, the musical chairs of players changing teams may slow down to a sad waltz.

Again, Waddell pushed back.

“If you’re, hypothetically, talking about trading the Norris Trophy winner,” Waddell said, “I don’t think the players who are being shopped around right now … this type of player (Werenski) doesn’t get traded very often.

“If he would hit the market, the players that teams aren’t shopping, the ones they’d like to keep, would be the ones that are available. If we go that direction.”

For Waddell, it creates an enormous amount of pressure to make significant upgrades to the roster.

The Blue Jackets have improved in each of the past four seasons — from 31st overall and 59 points in 2022-23 to 18th overall and 92 points this past season — but the way the Jackets faltered down the stretch to miss the playoffs yet again has only increased frustration.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, but Waddell said he doesn’t see the Blue Jackets using an offer sheet to try to lure another club’s restricted free agent to Columbus, and certainly not a superstar player such as, say, Dallas’ Jason Robertson or Vegas’ Pavel Dorofeyev.

The draft-pick compensation for an offer sheet at $11.9 million or above is four first-round draft picks, but that’s only half the reason Waddell ruled out that approach.

“I’ve been on both sides of (an offer sheet),” Waddell said. “You’re making the offer because you can get the player, not to force the other team to pay the player.

“It’s the picks … but we talk about the cap, too. Last season, it was $94 million and we ended up at $92.8 million. We’ve got (Adam) Fantilli, who I believe is going to get a raise. (Jet) Greaves is going to get a raise. (Cole) Sillinger is going to get some raise, too.

“I’ve mapped it out where if we add one forward, say, at approximately $5 million, and add a defenseman that’s $2 million or $2.5 million, we’re at $100 million. One thing you don’t want to do is take yourself to the cap ($104 million) on the first day of the season.”

Waddell seems to be moving forward, doing his math, as if Werenski will be part of the Blue Jackets this season. There’s not much else he can do, really, pending a clear answer or clear direction from No. 8.