“I’m Done Talking About My Future”: Zach Werenski Focused on Winning in Columbus – The Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

Zach Werenski is done answering questions about his future.

Back in Columbus on Thursday for the first time since the summer speculation swirled around him, the Blue Jackets defenseman made that clear almost immediately. After a chaotic stretch of rumors, statements, and social-media noise, his message was simple and consistent: he wants to win with the Blue Jackets and that is where his focus now sits.

“I want to win, I want to win here in Columbus and that’s all I’m focused on and that hasn’t changed since the end of last season,” Werenski said. “I’ve had great conversations with Don (Waddell) all summer, talked with (Rick Bowness) a lot, talked with my teammates. I’m excited about it; I’m excited with the team we have.”

He went further when asked whether fans should still be fretting about where things stand with the club.

“I’d stop fretting about it,” he said. “Obviously I have two years left and I’ve been here for a very long time. I think everyone knows how much I love this city and how much it means to me, and I would have no issues being here for an even longer time. I want to see us in the playoffs and I want to see us make progress and I feel like we’ve done that. I think winning solves everything.”

Summer Got Bigger Than Intended

Werenski described the past few months as “a little bit crazy” and something neither he nor Waddell had planned on reaching the level it did. He said the last two seasons — both ending with the team so close to the playoffs but falling short — left a bitter taste. That frustration, combined with the sudden swirl of external noise, created a stretch that felt misconstrued from his perspective.

“It was tough for about a week there,” Werenski admitted. “I’ve always been on the other side of it where I read what people write. It was my first time kind of being on the other side of it, and a lot of the stuff I was kind of learning for the first time reading it. The stuff I didn’t really know about or hear about, I felt like it was kind of misconstrued a little bit on how I felt or where I was at.”

“In saying that, I feel like people have jobs to do and they’re getting their information from somewhere but definitely wasn’t from me.”

Werenski emphasized that the conversations he had with Waddell throughout the summer remained positive, even as outside chatter intensified. Once both sides released public statements, Werenski said the situation stabilized. He saw Waddell again Thursday morning and described their relationship as “great.”

All About Winning

Werenski returned again and again to the same point. He is not interested in revisiting the speculation. He is interested in raising the standard inside the Blue Jackets locker room and getting the team back into the playoffs.

“I fully plan on doing that this year,” Werenski said. “Being an even better player, better leader, better person for my teammates and for this club. Hopefully that just means I’m here even longer. After today my focus is fully on our team winning. I’m not going to answer questions about my future. That’s why today is so important to kind of get these out of the way. But when I come to camp, I think all my teammates and everyone know how committed I am. I’m just excited to get back at it with them.”

Werenski made clear that the desire to stay in Columbus has been consistent since the season ended. The conversations with Waddell, he said, never suggested otherwise from his side.

“At the end of the day, this is where I wanted to be, and I think I showed that. And I continue to show that this season. Try to be the best player I can be.”

The Pain of Last Season

The late-season freefall still sits with Werenski. He did not soften the self-criticism when asked what went wrong after the team climbed from the bottom of the East to second in the Metro before collapsing.

“It starts with us leaders,” Werenski said. “I definitely don’t think we dragged enough guys into the fight. I feel like on certain nights when it wasn’t going well, we didn’t have enough push, and I feel like that starts with the older guys. It’s not for lack of effort or try. I just feel like there’s other way to get your group going.”

“I went home, I looked myself in the mirror and know I have to be better. I didn’t produce down the stretch. Even games I felt like I played pretty good, the puck wasn’t going in…In those situations it’s on us older guys, us leaders, to find a way to get the best out of our group.”

That accountability carried into how he is approaching this season. It will be the first full camp under Bowness. Werenski expects a hard, high-paced training camp and believes the group already understands the standard that needs to be set.

Captaincy & Final Thoughts

Werenski spoke positively about the offseason additions, specifically mentioning the size and skill of Valeri Nichushkin, the edge Ryan Lomberg brings, and the importance of having Charlie Coyle back. He also left the door open on the captaincy after Boone Jenner’s departure when asked if the team approached him about it.

“It’d be an honor,” Werenski said. “There’s a lot of guys in that room that are leaders. I’m not sure what’s going to happen there…I’ve been here for 10 years. It’d be an honor to be the captain of this franchise. I was fortunate enough to learn from guys like (Nick) Foligno and (Boone Jenner.)”

He has already spoken with most of his teammates throughout the summer and does not feel a formal group address will be necessary once camp opens. The message he said has already been delivered: he is all-in.

By the end of the media session, Werenski’s tone had settled into something simpler and more settled than the noise that surrounded him for weeks. He is back in Columbus, back in the building he likes walking into, and already looking past the summer.

“I texted my wife and said, ‘I wish we were just back for good now,’” Werenski said. “It’s a great spot; it’s a great place to live and it’s a fun building to walk into. I’m really excited to get back here full time in a few weeks.”

That is the note Werenski wanted to leave. The future talk is finished. The focus, at least from his side, has already shifted.