Zach Werenski Wins 2025-26 Norris Trophy
The NHL announced this morning that Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets has won the Norris Trophy, which is annually awarded to the defenseman who demonstrates the greatest all-around ability in his position.
Werenski finished the 2025-26 season scoring 22 goals for 81 points in 75 games this season. He received 113 first-place votes and 48 second-place votes with 16 third-place votes in the PWHA poll for a total of 1,589 points, and was a top-five pick on 194 of 198 ballots. A total of 14 defensemen received votes, with only Colorado’s Cale Makar eclipsing the 1,000-vote mark, second to Werenski and Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin, rounding out the top three with 13 first-place votes and 657 points.
The 28-year-old led the Blue Jackets in assists, points, points-per-game, and finished third in goals. He became the 10th defenseman in NHL history to lead his team in scoring in consecutive campaigns, scoring 82 points in 2024-25. Those back-to-back seasons helped him become the fifth U.S.-born defenseman in NHL history to record multiple 80-point campaigns and is the third to accomplish the feat in consecutive seasons, joining Phil Housley (1991-92 to 1992-93 in Winnipeg) and Brian Leetch (1990-91 to 1991-92 with the New York Rangers). In winning this season, he joins Rod Langway (2x), Chris Chelios (3x), Leetch (2x), Adam Fox, and Quinn Hughes as the sixth American player to win the Norris Trophy.
According to the Blue Jackets press release, Werenski is the seventh player in franchise history to win a major NHL award: joining Rick Nash – Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (NHL goals leader), 2003-04; Nash – NHL Foundation Player Award (Community Service), 2008-09; Steve Mason – Calder Memorial Trophy (Best Rookie), 2008-09; Sergei Bobrovsky – Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie), 2012-13 and 2016-17; Nick Foligno – King Clancy Award (Leadership & Community Service), 2016-17; Foligno – Mark Messier Leadership Award, 2016-17; John Tortorella – Jack Adams Trophy (Best Coach), 2016-17; Sean Monahan – Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, Dedication to Hockey), 2024-25.
The Grosse Pointe, Michigan native is set to enter the fifth season of a six-year contract that he signed back in July of 2021 with a total value of $57.5MM (9.583MM AAV). He’s spent his entire career in Columbus, signing a three-year $15MM ($5MM) deal in 2019 and his entry-level contract, which paid him $925K annually from 2016 to 2019. After being taken eighth overall in 2015 by Columbus, Werenski spent his post-draft season with the University of Michigan, scoring 36 points in 36 games.
Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images.
Free Agent Focus: Columbus Blue Jackets
Free agency is just over a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Blue Jackets.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Adam Fantilli – Fantilli’s third and final season of his entry-level contract marked something of a lateral move. Selected third overall in 2023, he’s yet to take over as the true #1 pivot Columbus has lacked for virtually its entire 26-year history. A late-season surge last year brought him to 31 goals as a sophomore, but his production plateaued this season with a 24-35–59 scoring line, only a five-point total increase from his 2024-25 performance as his shooting percentage regressed.
He’s averaging close to 19 minutes per game now, has improved in the faceoff dot, and is still the Jackets’ top center of the present and future, even if his production hasn’t really popped yet. It’ll be an interesting exercise to see whether GM Don Waddell is willing to pay for potential or make a more reserved offer, considering what he’s yet to show. AFP Analytics pegs a long-term deal at eight years and $10MM per season. It seems unlikely Fantilli would want to lock himself into that number, considering his growth potential and a rising cap, so their two-year bridge projection of $6.375MM annually seems more apt.
G Jet Greaves – Now 25, Greaves answered every question asked of him in his first season as a true starter. The undrafted free agent burst onto the scene as an exceptional third-string option over the past few years and was clearly ready for at least tandem duties with Elvis Merzļikins this season, but he ended up stealing the crease entirely from the beleaguered veteran. I
t’s hard to call him Columbus’ outright MVP considering what Zach Werenski did this season, but a 26-19-9 record, .908 SV%, and a top-10 finish in goals saved above expected (16.5, per MoneyPuck) are worthy of a hefty financial commitment to a netminder who’s yet to experience a real bump in the road in his development. Mid-term deals have been all the craze for breakout starters lately; something in the range of the six-year, $5.85MM AAV extension Logan Thompson signed with the Capitals last season is a reasonable starting point.
F Cole Sillinger – One of many high picks dotting Columbus’ forward group, Sillinger just wrapped up a two-year bridge deal that paid him $2.25MM per season. He’s due for a raise, but not an Earth-shattering one. Selected 12th overall in 2021, the 23-year-old has shown little forward progress since his unexpectedly strong showing as an 18-year-old. He’s hit 33 points in back-to-back seasons, both career highs, but is an extremely poor finisher who notched just eight goals this year and hasn’t shot above 10% since his rookie campaign. He plays a physical game and has reasonably sound defensive impacts, but his 45.7% career win rate in the dot isn’t inspiring. If not trade bait, he’s likely looking at a short-term deal in the $4MM range.
Other RFAs: D Corson Ceulemans, F James Malatesta, F Hunter McKown, F Mikael Pyyhtia, D Stanislav Svozil, F Jack Williams, D Egor Zamula
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Boone Jenner – Columbus was well in the playoff race and opted to hold onto all their big-ticket pending UFAs as a result. An April collapse left them seven points out, and while they’ve managed to extend one of their big-ticket UFA trio in Charlie Coyle, two remain unaccounted for. Jenner’s departure would be a real shock to the system. The Jackets’ captain since 2021 is well into his second decade with the organization, first acquired as a second-round pick in 2011.
He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in games played by a significant margin and is still reasonably productive despite shoulder injuries taking a large bite out of the latter half of his career. A poor finishing streak limited him to 13 goals in 67 outings this season, but he still totaled 38 points, on pace for 47 had he played a full season. He’s 33 next month, and even in a thin free agent class, his recent injury history means there won’t be any huge above-market-value offers waiting for him elsewhere. There shouldn’t be much fuss about retaining Jenner for another three or four years in the $4.5-5.5MM range to aid a team on the rise.
F Mason Marchment – It was a tale of two seasons for Marchment, who could be looking for his fourth team in three seasons if not retained. An ever-effective top-nine producer ever since his big breakout with the Panthers in 2021-22, he was traded to the Kraken last summer by the Stars as a result of their tight cap situation. Marchment fell flat in Seattle, limited to four goals and 13 points in 29 games before Columbus paid a second and a fourth-round pick to bring him in as a reclamation project.
Marchment erupted for 15 goals, 32 points, and a raucous +21 rating in 39 games down the stretch to serve as the Jackets’ best goal-scorer on a per-game basis this season. He did so on a top line with Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko that controlled 54.6% of expected goals to boot. Age works against him on the open market as well – he’ll be 31 in June – but has the best case of anyone here to exceed his three-year, $5.67MM AAV extension projection from AFP.
D Erik Gudbranson – Gudbranson was a controversial free-agent pickup back in 2022 – not for his fit, but with the four-year, $16MM price tag that was attached. He certainly never played up to his $4MM AAV for the Jackets, but the team’s lack of cap constraints during his tenure meant it ultimately didn’t matter much. Like Jenner, injuries have derailed his past few seasons, with only 53 suit-ups over the last two years. In a reduced role this season, the 34-year-old righty was a serviceable #6 option with a +6 rating and some decent defensive numbers while averaging 17:46 of ice time per game. He’s a non-factor offensively, only registering three points, but is still an NHL-caliber bottom-pairing/press box option. A one-year deal in the $1MM range will be out there for him this summer, whether it’s in Columbus or elsewhere.
Other UFAs: F Zach Aston-Reese, F Hudson Fasching, G Ivan Fedotov, F Brendan Gaunce, F Danton Heinen, D Dysin Mayo, G Zachary Sawchenko, F Owen Sillinger, D Brendan Smith
Projected Cap Space
Columbus, per usual, has plenty of spending money this summer with $32.36MM in room. Some of that will disappear quickly with Fantilli’s and Greaves’ deals but they should still have around $15-20MM in open market money. Hungry to make a playoff push, they’ll be in on virtually every “top” free agent amid a slim list, with a strong organizational need to fill out their AHL forward depth as well.
Images courtesy of David Gonzales-Imagn Images (Fantilli) and Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images (Jenner). Contract and cap information per PuckPedia.
Offseason Checklist: Columbus Blue Jackets
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at Columbus.
It was an eventful year for the Blue Jackets. After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, they added Charlie Coyle over the summer and hoped that they’d be able to squeak in this time. Instead, they got off to a mediocre start, resulting in Rick Bowness being brought in as head coach. They went on a run early but faltered down the stretch, ultimately coming up just short again. Now, GM Don Waddell has some more work to do to try to get his team over the proverbial hump.
Culture Change
With Bowness only signing a deal for the rest of the season when he was first hired, he didn’t know his immediate future when, after the final game of the year, he let his team have it:
I don’t know if I’m back, but if I’m back, I’m changing this culture. These guys, they don’t care – losing is not important enough to them. It doesn’t bother them. Like, how can you go out and play like that?
Well, now he knows that he’s back as he signed a one-year extension not even 48 hours after the season ended. So, Bowness is going to get a chance to really reshape the culture but it’s not going to just be on him. This summer, it’s largely going to be on Waddell to make the types of changes that Bowness is likely seeking and model the roster to better suit that style.
One big decision that needs to be made (and frankly, might already have been made) is the fate of captain Boone Jenner. The 32-year-old has been with the Blue Jackets for 13 seasons, captaining them for the last five. When healthy, he has a quality power forward and defensive anchor. But he has dealt with a significant injury pretty much annually and his scoring touch has dipped a bit as of late. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent who has changed agents while Bowness has already signed Coyle to a six-year extension, potentially pushing Jenner more towards being out the door.
How aggressive of an overhaul Waddell will look to make is the big question here. Bowness is 71 and on an expiring contract already; he’s not the long-term voice behind the bench. But with the public vote of confidence in the form of that one-year extension, Waddell seemingly has to make meaningful changes beyond a player or two. We’ll find out just how big of a culture change they’ll be looking to make soon enough.
Re-Sign Key RFAs
While Waddell has already taken care of one of his key pending free agents, he has a few important restricted free agents to re-sign over the coming months.
The most prominent one is center Adam Fantilli. The third overall pick in 2023, his entry-level deal will officially expire at the end of next month. With the market for impact young centers jumping up considerably in recent years plus the projected increases to the Upper Limit, it’s fair to say Fantilli’s market value is going to jump considerably. If they want to sign him to a max-term eight-year contract (still legal through mid-September), they may have to go higher than Zach Werenski’s current price tag of $9.58MM. AFP Analytics pegs an eight-year pact at just over $10MM per season despite the fact he has yet to reach 60 points in a season. But to get him to give up four years of UFA eligibility, it’s going to be a hefty price tag. If they’re not willing to go that high yet, a bridge contract could still land in the $6MM-$7MM range.
Goaltender Jet Greaves also happens to be up for a new deal. While he wasn’t going to come close to sustaining his late-season hot streak in 2024-25 over a full season, he locked down the starting job. He played the seventh-most minutes in the NHL while posting the 12th-best SV and 13th-best GAA on a non-playoff team. Traditional stats are still dominant in arbitration filings and the 25-year-old is arbitration-eligible for the first time. However, the small sample size makes this one a little harder to peg. The comparables here would be players like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ($4.75MM) and $5MM but the financial market is a little different now. The comparable now would be four or five years around the $5.75MM range. But if one or both sides want to see one more year before making that commitment, they can get away with it as he’s two seasons away from UFA eligibility. The price tag would be more in the $4.25MM territory in that scenario.
The other RFA of note is Cole Sillinger. His bridge deal has now come to an end and if nothing else, he has been consistent. Over the past three seasons, his lowest point total is 32 and his highest is 33. He has two years of club control left and is arbitration-eligible as well. It’s doubtful either side would want to do a long-term agreement so the options are more likely a one-year deal that allows for a bit more evaluation, or a three-or-four-year pact that buys up a bit of UFA eligibility. The former would be in the $3.5MM range and the latter more likely around double his current $2.25MM price tag.
Add Offensive Forward
One of the challenges this season for Columbus was primary scoring. They only had two players surpass the 60-point mark and one of those was Werenski, who led the team in points once again. The other was Kirill Marchenko, with 67. Fantilli and Coyle were just shy of 60 which doesn’t sound too bad. However, they’re also the only four players to reach 40 points on the campaign.
The silver lining is that their secondary scoring was fine. Eight additional players had between 30 and 40 points, including Mason Marchment, who had 32 in just 39 games after being acquired. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent and is set for a big payday on the open market. The Blue Jackets would undoubtedly want to keep him around but even if so, that’s only maintaining the status quo, not improving the roster.
While there is a young nucleus of players that they’re hoping for continued development from (with a bounce-back from Kent Johnson being first in that regard), it’s also quite evident that the Blue Jackets have a win-now mindset. While contention might not be realistic just yet, getting to the postseason should be the next step for this group.
That makes it more important for them to add an impact scorer to deepen the attack and take some pressure off the younger players (which might ultimately help them offensively). Of course, this is not a particularly deep UFA class – Marchment is one of the top forwards available – so this is something Waddell may have to accomplish on the trade front. But if Columbus wants to take that next step forward, more primary firepower will be needed.
Add A Shutdown Defender
With Werenski anchoring the back end, the emergence of Denton Mateychuk, and Ivan Provorov showing flashes of above-average offensive ability at times, the Blue Jackets quietly have one of the more talented back ends in the East from an offensive perspective. But their other regulars – Damon Severson and Dante Fabbro – aren’t known necessarily for being shutdown players. They can certainly contribute but aren’t necessarily defensive anchors.
One of their top-used defensemen shorthanded this season was Erik Gudbranson, at least when healthy. However, he’s also a pending unrestricted free agent and at this point, it would be somewhat surprising to see him return. That’s a spot in the lineup that needs to be filled. Ideally, that one isn’t filled internally, either by Jake Christiansen or a prospect like Corson Ceulemans. Again, if the goal is getting to the playoffs, they need to aim higher.
In a perfect world, the goal would be to get someone capable of playing on the top two pairings, logging over 20 minutes per game with primary penalty kill time. That player would also be matched up against top lines from other teams. It’s the type of player that a lot of teams could use although, again, there aren’t many unrestricted free agents who fit the bill. This is another spot they may have to try to acquire in a trade instead.
But this one is of particular importance from a culture standpoint as well. As Bowness wants to reshape things there, getting that gritty defender willing to go the extra mile to contain top players from other teams would be an anchor of that reshaped culture. A lot of good teams have a true shutdown piece on the back end and if they want to take the next step, the Blue Jackets need to get one too.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images.
Latest On Boone Jenner
- Previously reported as possibly being squeezed out, Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner’s future remains up in the air at this point, as outlined by Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic. The Columbus captain, whose 808 regular season appearances mark the longest tenured player on the team, was far apart on term in the first round of discussions as he seeks stability at age 32. Teammate Charlie Coyle, 34 no less, was given six years on his contract extension, so it’s curious to know what general manager Don Waddell has in mind with Jenner. Lebrun referenced his tendency to sometimes let negotiations run to the finish line, and with more than a month away from the open market, there’s plenty of time to work something out.
Evening Notes: Byram, Calgary, Columbus
Bowen Byram‘s agent, Darren Ferris, is slated to meet with Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekäläinen at the Draft Combine in Buffalo next week to discuss a potential contract extension, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The 24-year-old defenseman is not set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) until summer 2027, but LeBrun says he would not be surprised to see an extension come this summer before Byram would have the chance to hit the open market.
It is believed Byram really likes it in Buffalo, and his play this season certainly backs up that assessment. Byram tied his career high in goals with 11, and posted additional career highs in assists (31), points (42), and plus/minus (+15). Additionally, Byram was relied on heavily during the Sabres’ playoff run and rose to the occasion. He was only second to superstar defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in ice time per game with 22:24 a night, and posted seven points in 13 games.
On the flip side, it has been noted that Ferris often will advise the players he represents to fully take advantage of their UFA options, so it would not come as a shock to see him advise Byram to do the same, especially with the cap continuing to increase after next season. Only time will tell.
Additional Notes
- Game four of the Western Conference Final kicks off at 8 PM CST tonight, and the Vegas Golden Knights have the chance to pull off the improbable sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. However, it is not just Vegas fans who may be rooting for the sweep. When the Golden Knights acquired defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames leading up to this year’s trade deadline, they sent Zach Whitecloud, a 2027 first-rounder, a 2028 second-rounder, and prospect Abram Wiebe over in the deal. If Vegas goes on to win the Stanley Cup, that 2028 second-round pick turns into a first-rounder, as reported by Eric Francis with Sportsnet. Calgary already holds six first-round picks from 2026-28, and adding a seventh would certainly help a team in the midst of a rebuild. It is worth noting that two of Calgary’s six first-round picks are already courtesy of the Golden Knights, so with a Vegas Cup win, that becomes three out of their potential seven. So, while this all still takes five more Vegas wins to come to fruition, it may sway the rooting interest of some of the Flames faithful.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, were eliminated on Sunday night at the hands of the Toronto Marlies in heartbreaking fashion. It was do-or-die for the Monsters in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference divisional round, as a late third-period lead quickly disappeared when Toronto scored with 4:30 and 0:11 remaining to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Now that the Monsters’ season has come to an end, it is expected that there will be an announcement in the near future that head coach Trent Vogelhuber will be promoted to join Rick Bowness‘ staff as an assistant coach, as reported by Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. During Vogelhuber’s four seasons as head coach, Cleveland was 145-108-21-14 (.564).
Egor Zamula Expected To Sign In KHL
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Egor Zamula‘s signing rights have been traded in the KHL, according to a report from Jonathan Bailey of The Hockey News. CSKA Moskva has acquired Zamula’s rights from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in exchange for the signing rights to Boston Bruins forward Georgii Merkulov and the equivalent of $420K in rubles. The trade is a strong indication that Zamula intends to take his professional career to the KHL.
It’s not an unexpected outcome for Zamula. The 26-year-old blueliner began the year with the Philadelphia Flyers, but requested a trade from the organization after he was reassigned to the AHL. After being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Zamula was suspended and later released for failing to report to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Eventually, Zamula landed with the Blue Jackets on a prorated one-year, $1MM contract.
All together, Zamula finished the season with three assists in 33 games with a +6 rating, averaging 13:04 of ice time. Given how his time with the Flyers worked out, and his subsequent lack of playing time in Columbus, it’s not a huge surprise that Zamula is leaving North America to pursue a bigger opportunity.
Additionally, if he were to turn his career around in Russia, Zamula is still young enough that he could return to the NHL in a few years without much pushback. Regardless, that’s putting the cart before the horse.
If he does sign with CSKA, it’ll be the first time Zamula has played in Russia since the 2016-17 campaign. That season, he played for the Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s U17 team, registering three goals and 26 points in 36 games.
Ivan Fedotov Leaves AHL Cleveland With Injury
Ray Bennett‘s time seeking a new coaching role didn’t take long. Moments after the New York Islanders announced that they had mutually parted ways with Bennett, the Washington Capitals announced they have hired him for the 2026-27 season.
Bennett was presumably hired to replace Kirk Muller, who departed the organization in late April. The 64-year-old coach has served as an assistant coach in the NHL for over 25 years, primarily focusing on power-play strategies with the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and Islanders.
The Capitals’ work with a man advantage could certainly use a fresh perspective. Washington had a solid power play during the 2024-25 campaign, finishing 13th in the league with a 23.53% success rate. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the same prosperity this season, falling to 25th in the league with a 17.84% rate.
Additional notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- Despite being one win away from an Eastern Conference Final berth, the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters have lost some of their goaltending depth, likely for the remainder of the postseason. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, netminder Ivan Fedotov has returned overseas to deal with an undisclosed injury. Since he is an unrestricted free agent this summer and left the team during their pursuit of the Calder Cup, it seems likely that Fedotov does not intend to continue his professional career in North America. He may have already begun exploring opportunities overseas.
- The Islanders announced the name and logo of their new AHL affiliate in Hamilton, following the team’s move from Bridgeport, CT. The new AHL franchise will be named the Hamilton Hammers, reflecting the historical significance of the steel industry in the Ontario city.
Former Analyst Bill Davidge Passes Away
Yesterday, the Columbus Blue Jackets somberly announced that former scout, radio, and TV analyst Bill Davidge passed away at the age of 72. Davidge last worked for the Blue Jackets in the 2018-19 season.
In their announcement of his passing, the Blue Jackets said, “Our organization has never known a greater advocate or ambassador for our team and sport than Bill. If the Blue Jackets were somewhere in the community, there was a good chance Bill was there. And he was making an impact. There were no strangers in his world, only friends.”
Blue Jackets May Not Re-Sign Boone Jenner
The Columbus Blue Jackets may need a new captain for next season, as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported yesterday that Boone Jenner may be getting “squeezed out of the mix in Columbus” in advance of the expiry of his contract on July 1. Jenner, who was reported to have recently swapped longtime agent Joe Resnick for Pat Morris of Newport Sports Management, has only played for the Blue Jackets in his 808-game NHL career. He’s the franchise’s all-time games played leader. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast that Columbus is hoping to find a way to keep Jenner, but Jenner “feels whatever he’s being offered is not anything he’s willing to accept.”
It’s not immediately clear what the Blue Jackets’ offer to Jenner might look like. Head coach Rick Bowness spent much of his time in Columbus utilizing Jenner in the bottom-six. He averaged 16:04 time on ice per game this season, down from 18:00 per game last year. Jenner also lost his grip on a spot on the Columbus power play, after averaging 1:48 time on ice per game there last season. Another factor that could contribute to Jenner’s exit from Columbus is his health. He’s missed significant time due to injuries over the past three years and despite solid production (13 goals, 38 points) in 2025-26, Columbus simply may not be able to offer Jenner the kind of contract he’s looking for given his availability and the amount of money they just committed to another veteran pivot, Charlie Coyle.
Zach Werenski Considered As Blue Jackets Next Captain
Set to embark on their third head coaching search in the past four years after this morning’s news, the Edmonton Oilers don’t yet have their replacement lined up, and they’ll interview several candidates, reported by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
Former Vegas bench boss Bruce Cassidy has been immediately linked to Edmonton, but even if such becomes the case, there’s other figures to consider first given the weight of decisions from here. Few teams have the pressure that’s rising in Oil-land after their first round flop.
If they wish to go all out on trying to find a spark with the clock ticking on the Connor McDavid era, Peter Laviolette is always worth a thought. The 61-year-old last served as head coach of the Rangers, leading them to a Presidents’ Trophy in year one. He was out of a job a year later, but New York has by no means found greener pastures without him yet.
Craig Berube, fired yesterday by Toronto, also has a Stanley Cup to his name. Patrick Roy and Dean Evason, both of whom had their moments on Long Island and in Columbus, are worthy candidates to make the rounds in interviews from prospective teams this summer. Finally, a longshot who will probably warrant a look, assistant Paul Coffey, if they went the internal route.
Offering a roster which needs work, but still featuring two of the premier players in the NHL, Edmonton would assumingly be on the top of Cassidy’s list as a top job for the widely considered #1 available coach. Still, the Oilers have a two year window with McDavid under contract, and they must get it right. The next coach to come to town will be his sixth, and Leon Draisaitl’s eighth.
Elsewhere across the league:
- With the off-season now in swing after last night’s crushing overtime loss to Colorado, the Minnesota Wild face big questions if they’ll take another step. Michael Russo of The Athletic wrote on what’s next for general manager Bill Guerin as he must win over Quinn Hughes, with his upcoming free agency after next year an elephant in the room. Guerin assembled what is likely the most talented roster in franchise history, but they went out unceremoniously in five games. Already thin down the middle, Joel Eriksson Ek’s injury was a major blow, and Jonas Brodin’s absence forced them to lean on Jacob Middleton, which proved costly. It figures that another big trade swing will be in order, perhaps for Robert Thomas or Vincent Trocheck, the #1 priority. Veterans Vladimir Tarasenko, Mats Zuccarello, and Marcus Johansson’s contracts all expire this summer, not to mention trade deadline acquisitions Nick Foligno and Michael McCarron, presenting the opportunity to shake things up on the attack. Whatever’s in store, it’s not a stretch to say it’s the most important offseason in their 25 year history.
- Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet speculated on yesterday’s episode of 32 Thoughts Podcast that Zach Werenski would become the next Columbus Blue Jackets captain, depending on what may happen with their current “C” Boone Jenner, who is set to hit free agency. The longest tenured Jacket, Jenner broke though in 2013, during an era where R.J. Umberger was still a key contributor. 13 seasons later, his team just made a huge commitment to 34-year-old Charlie Coyle, enough to raise questions on what comes next. If Jenner is to move on, capitalizing on a dry free agent market, Werenski would have the chance to become the eighth captain in franchise history. The 28-year-old has held things down on the blue line in 642 regular seasons for Columbus, and is signed through 2027-28.