Zach Werenski Drops the Hammer: Contend or I'm Gone

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Zach Werenski isn't here for participation trophies. The reigning Norris Trophy winner made it crystal clear Thursday: the Columbus Blue Jackets need to start contending, or his time in central Ohio is running on borrowed time.

With two seasons left on his current deal, Werenski is keeping his cards close to the vest — but the message is loud and clear. The Blue Jackets have to prove they're serious about winning, and they have to do it now.

"I want to see us in the playoffs and make progress. I feel like we've done that," Werenski said Thursday. "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."

This was Werenski's first time in front of the media since news dropped in early July that he vetoed a trade to the Dallas Stars. He'd told general manager Don Waddell after last season that he wasn't planning to sign an extension — at least not this offseason.

For a few chaotic days, the fan base treated Werenski like the villain. But he insists the whole thing was blown out of proportion.

"I was trying to figure out what was going on. But yeah, it got crazy for sure," he said. "I don't want to talk too much on all the specifics and conversations and all that, but I think from early on, I've been transparent. I've been honest. At the end of the day, I've been honest that this is where I want to be. I felt like it was misconstrued a little bit how I felt."

Werenski has a full no-trade clause this season, and a 10-team no-trade list kicks in next July 1. But he's not going to just sit back and wait for the front office to figure things out. He wants to get this season going and let his play do the talking.

Elite Numbers, Unfinished Business

Werenski's résumé is absurd. Last season he put up 81 points — 22 goals and 59 assists, tying the franchise record for helpers in a season. He joined Brian Leetch and Phil Housley as the only American-born defensemen in NHL history with consecutive 80-point campaigns. He even had the primary assist on Jack Hughes' gold-medal winner at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.

But individual success means nothing if the team is watching the playoffs from the couch.

The Blue Jackets haven't made the postseason since 2020. It's been a brutal stretch of falling short — especially the past two seasons. This past year was a special kind of heartbreak. Columbus sat dead last in the Eastern Conference when Rick Bowness arrived, then caught fire, going 18-2-4 in his first 24 games and climbing into a playoff spot with points in 12 straight games.

Then the wheels fell off. The Blue Jackets went 3-9-1 down the stretch, including six straight home losses that tied a franchise record. They went from Cinderella to cellar-dweller in a matter of weeks.

"I feel like on certain nights when it wasn't going well, we didn't have enough push," Werenski admitted. "It was a learning experience for me, for sure. I've never been in a position like that where you come all the way back from last place to second in the Metro(politan Division). Then you have some crazy losing streak, and you're out of it. I didn't produce down the stretch."

Werenski had two goals and six points in his final 13 games — not good enough for a guy of his caliber, and he knows it.

The Time Is Now

The Blue Jackets need to hit the ground running. Seven of their first nine games are at home, and they open the season Oct. 1 against Buffalo — their first home opener in three years. That's a prime opportunity to set the tone.

Werenski isn't asking for empty promises. He wants to see progress, he wants to see standards raised, and he wants to be leading the charge. If the Blue Jackets can deliver, maybe he stays long-term. If not? Let's just say his future could get very interesting.

Either way, Werenski's message is simple: It's time to win.