Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko reportedly don't intend to sign contract extensions, leaving the Blue Jackets scrambling to determine what to do with their two stars.
The Columbus Blue Jackets were hit by a double whammy on Friday when reports emerged claiming defenseman Zach Werenski and right winger Kirill Marchenko weren't interested in signing contract extensions.
Werenski, 28, is the Blue Jackets' best player and their first-ever winner of the Norris Trophy. His current contract expires in 2028, but the Jackets could sign him to an extension as early as next July.
According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, Werenski is unlikely to do so. He indicated the Blue Jackets had spent the past week gauging the blueliner's value in the trade market.
LeBrun stated there was no guarantee Werenski would be traded this summer, which is understandable given he had two years left on his contract. That provides Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell with plenty of time to wait for suitable trade offers.
In his column with The Athletic, LeBrun suggested the Blue Jackets have three options: peddle Werenski this summer, wait until next summer when his no-movement clause becomes a 10-team trade list or let him play out the remainder of his contract.
While Waddell ponders his options, LeBrun believes eight to 10 teams have already expressed an early interest in Werenski. He expects the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes to be among them. LeBrun also felt the Toronto Maple Leafs could be among Werenski's preferred destinations.
As for Marchenko, the 25-year-old is eligible to become an RFA with arbitration rights next July. The Blue Jackets could sign him to an extension as early as Wednesday.
However, ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported Friday that Marchenko's camp informed him that he's also unlikely to sign an extension.
Marchenko is currently earning an average annual value of $3.85 million. Weekes said the right winger's representatives would seek a deal comparable to Pavel Dorofeyev's new seven-year contract with an $11-million cap hit that he signed with the New York Rangers last Friday.
According to LeBrun, Marchenko hasn't requested a trade and is willing to play next season and the season afterward, as the Blue Jackets would still control his rights for 2027-28. He also reports that Waddell has no intention of trading him.
Nevertheless, several teams reportedly expressed interest in Marchenko last week, including the Montreal Canadiens. They could keep tabs on this situation in case Waddell changes his mind.
Whatever happens next, the fact that Werenski and Marchenko intend to move on once their contracts are completed is a gut punch to the Blue Jackets and their fans. This comes at a time when management was attempting to build up the roster in the hope of getting over the playoff hump next season.
Werenski and Marchenko could both be in the Blue Jackets lineup next season if Waddell doesn't receive any trade offers to his liking. Nevertheless, questions about their futures will be an unwelcome distraction for this club.
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