Werenski CASHES IN with the Blue Jackets with multi-year extension
Prepare yourself for this one Blue Jackets fans. The Columbus Blue Jackets announced late Thursday evening that they have come to terms on a multi-year extension with defenseman Zach Werenski.
As great as it is for the Jackets to have their top defenseman locked up for 6 more seasons, the trend of top defensemen getting PAID continues this offseason with Werenski, who will earn a hefty pay increase following the 2021-22 season.
Per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, the 24-year-old blueliner's new deal, which is set to begin in 2022-23, will carry a $9.583M AAV, equating to $57.5M over the span of the contract.
Werenski's new deal is believed to be entirely salary, with no signing bonuses and does not appear to contain any form of trade protection nor is there a no-move clause.
*Update on contract details - pay stricture is as follows and years 2, 3, 4 and 5 have a full NMC. Year 6 has modified NTC*
Massive deal here for Werenski and since the Jackets are a rebuilding team, they will need to get to the cap floor somehow - so why not pay arguably your top guy?
Werenski dressed in just 35 games for the Blue Jackets last season, posting 7 goals and 13 assists for 20 points. He scored 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points in 63 games with the Jackets just one season prior in 2019-20.
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Morgan Geekie | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| David Pastrnak | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Sam Reinhart | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Evan Rodrigues | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Oliver Wahlstrom | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Uvis Balinskis | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Aleksander Barkov | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Justin Brazeau | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Gustav Forsling | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Trent Frederic | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mason Lohrei | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Anton Lundell | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Charlie McAvoy | - | 1 | 1 | |
| John Beecher | - | - | - | |
| Sam Bennett | - | - | - | |
| Tobias Bjornfot | - | - | - | |
| Sergei Bobrovsky | - | - | - | |
| Jesper Boqvist | - | - | - | |
| Brandon Carlo | - | - | - | |
| Charlie Coyle | - | - | - | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Golden Knights | 41 | 28 | 10 | 3 | 59 | |
Capitals | 42 | 27 | 10 | 5 | 59 | |
Jets | 43 | 28 | 12 | 3 | 59 | |
Wild | 42 | 26 | 12 | 4 | 56 | |
Maple Leafs | 43 | 27 | 14 | 2 | 56 | |
Hurricanes | 43 | 26 | 15 | 2 | 54 | |
Devils | 44 | 25 | 15 | 4 | 54 | |
Kings | 39 | 24 | 10 | 5 | 53 | |
Stars | 40 | 26 | 13 | 1 | 53 | |
Oilers | 41 | 25 | 13 | 3 | 53 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||