Норрис цомын эзэн Зак Веренски гэрээндээ заасан шилжилт хөдөлгөөнийг хориглох заалтаа ашиглан Даллас Старс руу явахаас татгалзаж, багаа үргэлжлүүлэн хүчирхэгжүүлэхээ мэдэгдлээ.
Колумбус Блү Жакетас-ын хамгаалагч Зак Веренски Даллас Старс руу хийх байсан солилцоог мягмар гарагт зогсоосон бол лхагва гарагт өөрийгөө солилцооны зах зээлээс бүрмөсөн хасаж буйгаа зарлав. Багийн ерөнхий менежер Дон Уодделл болон Веренски нар уулзсаны дараа талууд харилцан ойлголцолд хүрч, тоглогчийг багтаа үлдээхээр шийдвэрлэжээ. Веренски сүүлийн 10 жилийн турш Колумбус хотыг өөрийн гэр гэж үзсээр ирсэн бөгөөд багийнхаа хамтаар Стэнли цомын төлөө өрсөлдөх хүсэлтэй байгаагаа илэрхийлсэн байна.
Дон Уодделл улирал дууссаны дараа Веренскитэй уулзах үеэр тоглогч ирээдүйнхээ талаар эргэлзэж байсан тул солилцооны саналуудыг судлахыг зөвшөөрчээ. Гэсэн хэдий ч Веренски гэр бүлтэйгээ зөвлөлдсөний эцэст Колумбус хотоос явахгүй гэсэн шийдвэр гаргасан байна. Одоогийн байдлаар түүний гэрээ 2027-28 оны улирал дуустал хүчинтэй бөгөөд багийн зүгээс Стэнли цомын төлөөх плей-оффын шатанд шалгарах зорилго тавин ажиллаж байна.
Веренски энэ улиралд 75 тоглолтод оролцож, 22 гоол болон 59 оновчтой дамжуулалт гүйцэтгэн Норрис цомыг хүртсэн юм. Колумбус Блү Жакетас сүүлийн зургаан улирал дараалан плей-оффт шалгарч чадаагүй байгаа бөгөөд энэ нь лигийн хэмжээнд хамгийн урт хугацааны тасалдалд тооцогдож байна. Веренски багийнхаа амжилтыг ахиулж, хөгжөөн дэмжигчдээ баярлуулахын төлөө бүхнээ зориулахаа амлалаа.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Tuesday, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski blocked a trade to the Dallas Stars. On Wednesday, the reigning Norris Trophy winner completely removed himself from the trade market.
Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell met with Werenski and his agent, Judd Moldaver, on Wednesday morning, just hours after reports, including one from Chris Johnston of The Athletic, that Werenski had used the no-move clause in his contract to stop a move out of Columbus.
Later in the day on Wednesday, both sides issued statements in which they insisted they were back on good terms and that Werenski would remain with the club.
“Ideally, this wouldn’t have become such a public thing, but that is the world we live in now and everything got blown out of proportion, in my opinion,” Werenski said in the statement. “I want to win and I want to do that in Columbus.
“As I’ve thought about things and discussed everything with my wife and family, we want to be in Columbus. It has been my home for the past 10 years, and I have always been proud to be a Blue Jacket.”
Columbus Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell and All-Star defenseman Zach Werenski have issued the following statements today. pic.twitter.com/xsQc2HyjSV
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 1, 2026
When Waddell and Werenski met after the season, Waddell said in his statement, Werenski “indicated that he wasn’t sure what the future would hold with regards to staying with the club or possibly moving on.
“During those discussions, we talked about me exploring opportunities to move him now and we all agreed that if there was a deal to be made, I would bring it to him. We found something that would work for the club and took it to him. After some time and discussions with his family, Zach informed us that he didn’t want to leave Columbus.”
Werenski’s current contract, which pays him $9.58 million per season, expires after the 2027-28 season. The Blue Jackets can’t sign him to a new extension until July 1, 2027, when he enters the final year of the deal.
By then, Werenski wants to see signs that the Blue Jackets are making tangible steps to improve and compete in the Stanley Cup playoffs, which they’ve missed for six straight seasons, tied for the third-longest active streak in the NHL.
“The past two seasons have been very challenging ones, but also ones of growth for our team,” Waddell’s statement read. “Our goals from ownership on down, and Zach’s goals, are the same … to win now, return to the Stanley Cup playoffs, and win a Stanley Cup.
“Our city and fans deserve nothing less and we are all on the same page working toward that end. Zach has been a very important part of this organization and our community for a long time, and we couldn’t be happier that he will continue to be, moving forward.”
Werenski won the Norris Trophy this season after totaling 22 goals and 59 assists in 75 games this season for Columbus. The Jackets were in line to finally end their playoff drought, but a 2-8-1 slide at the end of the season dropped them out of the picture.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun was the first to report, last Friday, on the day of the NHL draft’s first round, that Waddell had begun listening to offers for Werenski. That sent a chill through a fan base that has been scorned many times by some of the organization’s top players.
It was particularly surprising coming from Werenski, who has always spoken so glowingly of playing in Columbus and playing for the Blue Jackets. But his experiences representing USA Hockey in international competitions, including a gold medal at the Olympics last February in Italy, gave him a taste for winning.
And while his patience won’t last forever if the Blue Jackets continue to sputter, his preference is to win in Columbus.
“We have the best fans in the NHL,” Werenski said. “I love my teammates and coaches and I’m looking forward to doing everything I can to get us back in the playoffs to compete for a Stanley Cup.
“Don and I are aligned on that and are excited about what’s to come with our team.”
