Columbus appears to be the starting place for Rick Bowness and Zach Werenski this season.
Currently, that is the most evident shift in this narrative. Even if the larger contract issue still exists, Chris Johnston’s most recent information suggests that Werenski should return to the Blue Jackets at the beginning of next season.
This is important since it seemed like this file was headed somewhere else a few days ago. The trade speculation surrounding Werenski grew so strong that it started to seem like a summer split rather than simply routine front-office listening.
Then there was a change in tone. Werenski’s team cooled things down, and the outside indicated Now is that Columbus will bring him back to the squad, if only for the beginning.
This does not make it an easy triumph for the Blue Jackets. It just buys them time. Johnston’s main point was that even as Werenski approaches the end of his contract, the bigger problem remains.
Nobody in Columbus should interpret this as a fresh start for that reason. The short-term fear subsided, but the long-term stress did not.
” Chris Johnston Show (7/2): “About Morgan Rielly/Maple Leafs: Although I know there is still optimism that it may happen, I still anticipate him probably being transferred. When they acquired Darnell Nurse and signed Jacob Trouba, the Sharks were no longer an option.”
Columbus fixed the mood, but not the entire issue.
Werenski is too important to let go of. He completed the 2025–26 season with 22 goals and 59 assists for 81 points in 75 games, which was one of the greatest seasons of any defenseman in the league.
Teams were circling him so vigorously because it is high-level output from the blue line. It’s rare to come across players that are able to manage significant minutes and still run the offense in that manner.
The Blue Jackets also are not sitting in an easy spot as a team. They went 40-30-12 for 92 points last season, which is good enough to stay interesting and frustrating enough to keep every big decision under a microscope.
That is where Bowness comes in. Columbus can sell Werenski on a team that is not dead in the water, but it still has to prove it can turn that middle ground into something stronger.
So Johnston’s update lands in 2 parts. First, Werenski likely is not walking out the door before camp. Second, Columbus still has a real issue to solve before this contract gets too close to the finish line.
That is the truth of the moment. Zach Werenski staying to start the season is good news for the Blue Jackets, but it is not the end of the story. Before the following difficult dialogue, there is a stop.
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