Rumor: Zach Werenski rejected trade to Dallas with NMC

[Vergil]

& they went nowhere, like 4x in a row

Kucherov is 33y, Vasy 32y, they don’t have much of a defense and Werenski trade would destroy rest of the quality depth

Tampa is not some contender, their window was already

Went no where? They almost won back to back to back cups LOL. Yes they're sucked 4 years in a row but that takes away from the success they had? Mental gymnastics go crazy when you willfully ignore truths

 

[Hull2Roenick2Kane]

an AMERICAN gold medalist wanted to go to the Leafs is the funniest thing I read all day.

 

[BoBfromAulon]

Toronto does not have the assets

Lets not kid ourselves here, they went for Harley because he has a long term contract and because he doesn't have trade protection (eventhough he is overpaid for what he brings+he is not a 1D)

 

[majormajor]

Toronto has the assets and Werenski is good friends with Austin Matthews.

I could believe Werenski's family likes Toronto. It's a great city.

But I don't see the assets. Knies is a cut below the other headliners we've discussed here and the adds like Danford or Hildeby look more like B prospects to us. It's not interesting.

 

[Hull2Roenick2Kane]

I still think Tampa offers Moser, one of Geekie or O'Reilly, one of Goncalves or James, and the '28 1st. If additional pieces are required, that could also be on the table from Tampa.

I hope its James and he has to go to Columbus.

 

[Vergil]

I still think Tampa offers Moser, one of Geekie or O'Reilly, one of Goncalves or James, and the '28 1st. If additional pieces are required, that could also be on the table from Tampa.

It would be hilarious if Tampa got greedy and wanted Kirill as well. But there's no way they can afford Werenski and a second Russian 86

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I don't know what TB could offer that Toronto can't match

TB doesn't have a 1st this year

Toronto has 2 2nds to TB's 1 2nd

I mean yes TB could offer Moser + Cerelli and Toronto probably couldn't match that but Cerelli has a full NTC and I doubt he waives to go to Columbus.

So to me a package around Knies is hard to beat if you are Tampa

and as much as it would suck to lose knies and believe me it would SUCK to lose

for Werenski you do that and then you sign a Marchment or Arvidson to fill that gap.

Or maybe you get a forward in a Rielly trade

but you absolutely move Knies if Werenski can be had

 

[BB88]

Toronto has the assets and Werenski is good friends with Austin Matthews.

Torontos best asset is a complinentary winger

How do you build around that?

 

[BB88]

Went no where? They almost won back to back to back cups LOL. Yes they're sucked 4 years in a row but that takes away from the success they had? Mental gymnastics go crazy when you willfully ignore truths

I’m ignoring the truth? You are talking of yourself

Yes they haven’t done anything for years, Werenski isn’t joining the Lightnings 2020-2022 roster, you know it’s 2026?

Where Hedman is 36y, McDonagh 37y, Kucherov 33y, Vasy 32y

 

[HavingACow4Cowan]

If werenski wants to win, why would he go to Toronto? Just stay in Columbus

You do realize TOR would be a contender if they got him, right?

Not saying they'd be Cup favorites, but they would be in the top ten or so of Cup favorites.

The defense would be very good suddenly (with him and Raddysh as new additions).

They already McCabe, Ekman-Larsson, Tanev, Rielly (who may be traded), Andrae and Stetcher. There's enough there to have a good first pairing and solid second and third pairings.

The top six up front has a lot of talent (though losing Knies would be a blow).

They do need to enhance their forward depth after trading Roy, McMann and Laughton. This is a year where there will be a lot of solid to good middle/bottom six forwards.


My only hope is TOR doesn't go over the top to acquire him. Adding a top five defenseman at the right cost would also make Tampa a bigger contender (though they may need an upgrade at 1C).

 

[Vergil]

I’m ignoring the truth? You are talking of yourself

Yes they haven’t done anything for years, Werenski isn’t joining the Lightnings 2020-2022 roster, you know it’s 2026?

Where Hedman is 36y, McDonagh 37y, Kucherov 33y, Vasy 32y

Then why is this current 2026 Lightning team his top desired destination? Hedman being 35 makes it more appealing to him if you think about it. You think he'd want to come to Tampa and play on the second pairing behind a prime Hedman? Think before you make a fool of yourself, for your own sake

 

[Zwui21]

Reading so many comments on Twitter from people that say Knies is a way better player and package to build a trade around than Moser?
Moser might be underrated because he plays in a smaller market, but he's the better player.

 

[HavingACow4Cowan]

If he did reject a trade to DAL, I am surprised, tbh.

They have Heiskanen and Harley already (though I assume they'd have to move the latter to acquire him), have a good goalie and are quite stacked up front. That's a good situation to go to.

 

[RangerBoy]

Why ia Columbus in a rush to trade these guys? Werenski is under contract for two more seasons. One more season for Marchenko and then he is a group II with arb rights. Let's have a good season and make the playoffs. Deal with that stuff next summer. Perhaps if Werenski and Marchenko had played better at the end of last season, Columbus would have made the playoffs.

 

[Xavier Laflamme]

CBJ should just stand put. If Werenski wants to do what’s best for him, CBJ should also attempt to do what’s best for them. His NMC turns into a 10 team NTC next summer. Why handicap yourself and meet Werenski’s unreasonable demands forcing a trade to a single team? He can sit out if he wants to or put on his big boy pants and carry his team like a leader is supposed to do.

That is why I don't understand him not accepting Dallas, I highly doubt any offer from TOR or TBL will be enticing enough and next season they have many teams they can send him to who should be able to offer up something better, and lets be honest one of those teams could easily be far worse than DAL.

 

[TheRumble]

Everyone says Toronto doesn't have assets. Hello? McKenna? He's technically the best asset of the year for a team like Columbus.

McKenna to Columbus for

Werenski and 3 firsts, unprotected.

 

[Vergil]

Everyone says Toronto doesn't have assets. Hello? McKenna? He's technically the best asset of the year for a team like Columbus.

McKenna to Columbus for

Werenski and 3 firsts, unprotected.

They are not moving the golden boy lmao.

 

[BlackAdam]

Don't see Chayka selling the farm for Werenski

 

[JoVel]

CBJ should just stand put. If Werenski wants to do what’s best for him, CBJ should also attempt to do what’s best for them. His NMC turns into a 10 team NTC next summer. Why handicap yourself and meet Werenski’s unreasonable demands forcing a trade to a single team? He can sit out if he wants to or put on his big boy pants and carry his team like a leader is supposed to do.

Is that the best for Columbus? Next year you're trading a Werenski of just one guaranteed season. If I was camp Werenski and I wanted a trade now, I would probably inform them that a year from now, we'll be telling everyone that Werenski is going to UFA.

 

[tunnelvision]

Why ia Columbus in a rush to trade these guys? Werenski is under contract for two more seasons. One more season for Marchenko and then he is a group II with arb rights. Let's have a good season and make the playoffs. Deal with that stuff next summer. Perhaps if Werenski and Marchenko had played better at the end of last season, Columbus would have made the playoffs.

It would likely be a huge distraction for the team if they kept both, especially Werenski.

 

[Peasy]

I see we've gone from, there's no way in hell werenski would accept a trade to Toronto to now, we'll Toronto doesn't have any assets anyways

 

[BB88]

Then why is this current 2026 Lightning team his top desired destination? Hedman being 35 makes it more appealing to him if you think about it. You think he'd want to come to Tampa and play on the second pairing behind a prime Hedman? Think before you make a fool of yourself, for your own sake

I can only hope this is sarcasm

Because actually quite often players make bad moves for their career

Sure if it was only Hedman, but it’s the whole damm roster that’s getting old.

Tampa isn’t at the same level as Florida or Carolina in the East and no way can march what Montreal and Buffalo are building

But keep being wrong

 

[Peasy]

Toronto does not have the assets

Just were offered 4th overall + for one of their players but yeah they don't have the assets

 

[ClydeLee]

Where’s this conversation if CBJ did a way better job at the 2024 draft, particularly Demidov?

The better job would have been taking Chicago's trade offer for 4. Blackhawks next unprotected 1st and a later 1st+ I believe.

Then why is this current 2026 Lightning team his top desired destination? Hedman being 35 makes it more appealing to him if you think about it. You think he'd want to come to Tampa and play on the second pairing behind a prime Hedman? Think before you make a fool of yourself, for your own sake

Why was Chicago Seth Jones most desired destination?

Because players arent always wise and looking to the future to judge their goals. They look to recent past, but it may be a bit too late.

 

[jkutswings]

Larkin: I want to be the villain of the league.

Werenski: Hold my beer.