The NHL's rumor mill keeps churning, and the latest superstar caught in the crosswinds is Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, the reigning James Norris Trophy winner. 

With two years remaining on his contract and no indication he plans to re-sign in Columbus, the 28-year-old Grosse Pointe, Michigan native appears increasingly likely to be moved before he can walk for nothing, and insiders say he's looking for a landing spot with genuine Stanley Cup aspirations.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman addressed the situation on Monday's episode of his 32 Thoughts podcast, naming the Dallas Stars as one of the most plausible destinations. "I really do think Dallas is interested in Werenski," Friedman said. "On its face, I find it hard to believe that there's a better trade out there for Columbus."

The framework would see Dallas part with Harley, a player who is four years younger than Werenski and signed for eight more seasons. Harley's extension runs through the 2033-34 season, carrying a cap hit north of $10.5 million, meaningfully more than the $9.58 million Werenski is owed over his final two seasons in Columbus.

Production-wise, the two were on very different statistical paths this season. Werenski finished the 2025-26 season with 22 goals and 81 points in 75 games, a campaign strong enough to land him the Norris. Harley's numbers, by comparison, were far more modest, in part because of injury. 

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Harley posted 36 points in 70 regular-season games, and that total came with a notable absence early on. The 24-year-old defenseman missed nearly a month of the season because of a lower-body injury, a stretch that ate into what was supposed to be a follow-up to a breakout campaign. During that absence, Harley sat out 12 games and counting at one point, having managed just one point in his six outings before getting hurt.

For Dallas, getting the reigning Norris Trophy winner that will reportedly not extend with Columbus could be the right move towards winning now, and the Blue Jackets are looking to maximize their return for him. Adding a player of Werenski's caliber alongside Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell would put the Stars into the conversation for the most lethal defense in the NHL. 

It would be fantastic add for Dallas, however, it may cost them a defenseman that wants to be there, is four years younger and is already signed on for another eight seasons. 

Friedman noted that while nothing is close to finalized, the chatter around Harley specifically has picked up. "I don't know if this is the case but there are lots of rumours about Thomas Harley," Friedman said, reiterating that he finds it hard to believe there's a better trade out there for Columbus than Harley. 

While Harley isn't the player Werenski is, Columbus would be getting a fixture in their franchise for potentially the next decade of their franchise. He could join the already loaded list of young talent on the Blue Jackets with Kirill Marchenko, Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson among others. 

It would be one of the most shocking, blockbuster trades in years but could be the kind of move needed, to finally get the Stars over the hump.

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