It seems safe to say that almost every team in the NHL will be blowing up the phone of Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager Don Waddell to inquire about defenseman Zach Werenski. Early on Saturday, insider Pierre LeBrun mentioned the San Jose Sharks as one of the teams that have shown early interest.

"My understanding is that eight to 10 teams have already called the Blue Jackets," LeBrun wrote. "You can absolutely count the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Hurricanes among the early teams with interest." 

Given the Sharks' lack of a true top-pairing defenseman at this point, it's not surprising that Mike Grier would jump on the opportunity to acquire the reigning Norris Trophy winner. 

While Werenski has been a reliable defenseman for many years, his offensive production in particular has taken major strides forward over the past two seasons. In his last 156 games, the Grosse Point, Michigan native has scored 45 goals and tallied a total of 163 points. 

It's believed that a lack of team success is what's led to him doubting his future in Columbus, as the team hasn't made it to the playoffs in more than half a decade, and there's no guarantees that things will change in the near future. 

The Sharks have a number of assets they could use to pry Werenski from the Blue Jackets and playing alongside young talent like Macklin Celebrini, Ivar Stenberg, Will Smith, and in the future Keaton Verhoeff, could be appealing to a player who wants to win.  

The 28-year-old defenseman is entering the fifth year of a six-year contract with an average annual value of $9.583 million. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2027-28 season and will not be eligible for a contract extension until next summer.