A big development for the Maple Leafs is the sudden connection of Jim Hiller and Zach Werenski to the same rumor in Toronto.
The line from Pierre LeBrun in the article you shared served as the trigger: Toronto is the only Canadian team Werenski would probably consider. This doesn’t indicate a deal is near, but it does alter the Leafs’ strategy.
Because Werenski isn’t a random trade chip, that’s important. As tales of trade demands continue to circulate throughout the league, Sportsnet stated that Columbus plans to meet with him following the draft to talk about his future. There is a lot of buzz surrounding the defender.
The player’s profile strongly conveys the concept. Teams don’t typically look for Norris Trophy-winning blue-line production in July; Werenski recently scored 81 points in 75 games.
Toronto now has a clear path thanks to the contract part. Columbus can’t extend Werenski until July 1, 2027, according to Sportsnet, as he still has two years left on his contract. This leaves an opening for a difficult conversation.
The fit is clear for the Leafs. The team still appears to need a real No. 1 defenseman more than another small adjustment around the edges, even after Hiller recently assumed the position of Toronto’s 41st head coach.
Because of this, the “only Canadian squad” portion is crucial. There wouldn’t be the same country-based opposition to Toronto on this file as there typically is for Canadian teams trying to sign top American players.
” Pierre LeBrun discussing Zach Werenski:
“By the way, the one Canadian club that the Olympic gold medalist from Team USA may think about is the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
In the Zach Werenski sweepstakes, the Maple Leafs may have just gotten a big break.
Werenski is 28 years old, fires left, and has already scored 465 points in 642 NHL games throughout his career. That is top-pair résumé work, not projection talk.
The Blue Jackets also are not operating from a weak spot. Rick Bowness is back for 2026-27, and Columbus just finished a strong closing stretch under him, so this is not a team forced into a move.
That means the price would be huge. Toronto would not get Werenski by offering spare parts. A player this good would cost real roster pain, real futures, or both.
Still, the Leafs are one of the few teams where the hockey logic holds up. They need a blue-line anchor, they have been reshaping the roster aggressively, and now there is at least a sign the player would listen.
That is why this rumor sticks. Zach Werenski to Toronto is not being framed as done, but once the Maple Leafs are named as the one Canadian club he might consider, the conversation stops sounding fake.
And for Toronto, that is enough to turn a summer rumor into a real front-office thought. You do not get many chances to chase a Norris winner in his prime.
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