Speculation: Armchair GM - 2026 CBJ Offseason Roster Moves, Rumors, and Discussion

[CBJWerenski8]

Please take all Werenski stuff in the new dedicated thread:

Rumor: Thread 'Werenski, CBJ to Meet about Future After the Draft'

Today at 5:18 PM

According to several sources, the Columbus Blue Jackets will meet with Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski after the draft to discuss his future with the organization.
There’s been a lot of noise around Werenski, who has two years remaining on his current contract with the Blue Jackets. They can extend him as soon as July 1, 2027.
But, at a time where trade requests, both public and private, and the fallout from them, have dominated the NHL’s news cycle, speculation intensified that Werenski might be next to declare his intentions for the future...

• KJ Dangler
• Replies: 182
• Forum: Columbus Blue Jackets

Just to be clear. That talk is still OK in here. But in order for this thread to not be completely dominated by Werenski talk I figured maybe a dedicated thread would be better. Still tbd on if I move them back but I figured this is what we start with

 

[MissADD]

Maybe I’m just coping, but I think it’s entirely within the realm of possibility that trading Werenski for an elite forward like Robertson or Thomas would actually make the team better. We are currently loaded with good defensemen and lack good forwards.

Thomas maybe, but will Robertson extend here without Z here?

 

[pete goegan]

The St. Louis Blues have traded winger Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals for Connor McMichael, Milton Gastrin and the No. 16 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the team announced on Tuesday.

 

[ClevelandJacketFan]

Feels like a lot of fringe East teams this year are going for it this year, and we are expecting "internal improvements" to help this team make the playoffs?

Gonna need to see something, Don.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

can’t help but wonder how different things would be if waddell had been more bold when he took the job.

will sound like a crazy person here (and have brought this up before) but him refusing to retain on laine, and thus giving up a second, may have cost them werenski through a butterfly effect.

went into that deadline afraid to move their first rounder. didn’t have a second to dangle. settled for luke kunin, who contributed jack shit. missed the playoffs by two measly points.

had they made the playoffs, who knows what happens. perception of the market changes, they probably get off some guys NTCs or become more appealing to free agents (ehlers etc).

that perception shift also maybe gets them on the periphery of being a destination for the USA guys with werenski as the draw.

the alternative version of this is moving the lindstrom pick for necas even without a guarantee of re-signing.

edit: to be clear, i don’t think there’s a viable path to improve the roster to the degree it would take to convince werenski to stay long-term, despite giving coyle a “we’re opening our window” long term deal and bringing back bones. almost certainly headed to a quasi-teardown and 3+ year build around fantilli

 

[Cowumbus]

The St. Louis Blues have traded winger Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals for Connor McMichael, Milton Gastrin and the No. 16 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the team announced on Tuesday.

14OA Voronkov Smith and we would have had Kyrou. Dang.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

14OA Voronkov Smith and we would have had Kyrou. Dang.

We should probably be hanging onto our young pieces now lol

 

[MissADD]

We should probably be hanging onto our young pieces now lol

Particularly defenseman. I'm fine moving a forward or two

 

[Banana duck]

If the Zach meeting ends up with him wanting out, he’s a pretty lousy teammate to a guy like Charlie Coyle who used Zach’s name a whole lot in that press conference after he signed.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

If the Zach meeting ends up with him wanting out, he’s a pretty lousy teammate to a guy like Charlie Coyle who used Zach’s name a whole lot in that press conference after he signed.

on one hand, yes

on the other hand, coyle’s line was deployed a whole lot with werenski this season, so

 

[ColumbusTrill]

14OA Voronkov Smith and we would have had Kyrou. Dang.

Kyrou would have also had to waive his NMC to come here

 

[CBJWerenski8]

If the Zach meeting ends up with him wanting out, he’s a pretty lousy teammate to a guy like Charlie Coyle who used Zach’s name a whole lot in that press conference after he signed.

Its a business. Charlie made the best deal for Charlie. Werenski is doing the same.

*Unless of course Coyle directly called Z and asked about his future plans, signed, and then Z changed his mind. That'd be different

 

[MissADD]

Just to add to the fun

 

[AnonCommentary]

Those two aside - Typically I find off-seasons a good way to unwind but this is not helping lately lol.

 

[Ice9]

Just to add to the fun

Isn’t that a GMs duty?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Just to add to the fun

Already addressed. He's not getting moved.

The part of Frank's reporting that bothers me is when he indicates Marchenko may not be enthralled with signing long term here.

 

[AnonCommentary]

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Honestly, its kind of hard to advocate doing anything aggressive in terms of buying. This Werenski stuff kind of freezes everything to me.

You can't trade futures. Mateychuk and Smith are now untouchable in my eyes. You can try to trade 14, but is there much value in that pick? Other prospects can be had too, but will they be worth much?

You cannot trade next years first. It's just kind of a holding pattern.

If Z does in fact request out, do we start taking calls on other vets? Kind of hard to imagine us doing that when we just signed Coyle. But is that the smart move?

 

[Indy18]

Honestly, its kind of hard to advocate doing anything aggressive in terms of buying. This Werenski stuff kind of freezes everything to me.

You can't trade futures. Mateychuk and Smith are now untouchable in my eyes. You can try to trade 14, but is there much value in that pick? Other prospects can be had too, but will they be worth much?

You cannot trade next years first. It's just kind of a holding pattern.

If Z does in fact request out, do we start taking calls on other vets? Kind of hard to imagine us doing that when we just signed Coyle. But is that the smart move?

And that is why they are having this "discussion". You can't plan when your star is status quo one week and now your heading alot of "noise". I am sure they had a phone call through his agent to where "are you in or out" and this meeting is to plan for how to proceed.

You can't gaslight your own boss...

 

[Banana duck]

Already addressed. He's not getting moved.

The part of Frank's reporting that bothers me is when he indicates Marchenko may not be enthralled with signing long term here.

Frank was like “YEAH BUT TEAMS ARE CALLING” and Buccigross was like “that’s neat, he’s a great fit to stay in Columbus too” and the Frank basically shakes with rage

 

[Banana duck]

And that is why they are having this "discussion". You can't plan when your star is status quo one week and now your heading alot of "noise". I am sure they had a phone call through his agent to where "are you in or out" and this meeting is to plan for how to proceed.

You can't gaslight your own boss...

I still think Waddell already knows the answer - having Friedman be the guy who is the mouthpiece here doesn’t seem like a coincidence.

Im sure this will be the “here is the answer, confirmed by Friedman, now shut up”

 

[Ice9]

If his intention was to leave I’d let my team know before the draft that D might become the target of your draft. He might be leaving but I doubt he hates the place so much he wouldn’t give a heads up.

 

[KJ Dangler]

i won’t be surprised if Don goes out and snags Petterson

 

[AnonCommentary]

We are just a few days away from the draft - This isn't like Brady or Kyrou. No offense to those players. This is Werenski. Hypothetically speaking, I'm not sure you can find a satisfactory solution in this small of a time frame. That is if it does turn out to come to that.

 

[DarkandStormy]

Would 14OA and LDBB gotten you Eklund?
Could GMDW have matched the package for Kyrou?

Interesting if we weren't even in on either of those guys.