Reasons why the Flyers should think twice about trading for Zach Werenski

There\'s been no deal, no trade has been made, no names have been announced. But over the last few days, and especially over the NHL Draft, there are rumblings that current Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski and the Columbus Blue Jackets aren\'t in unison. Both the player and the club are reportedly set to meet in the coming days to see if Werenski will be part of the team\'s future after next season. Or if Columbus pulls the trigger on a huge, multi-player trade that could change the landscape in the Metropolitan Division, and possibly the Eastern Conference.

Speculation is a handful of teams are interested in landing the prized blueliner, including Dallas, Toronto, and Philadelphia. Each team believes they have the various pieces needed to entice Columbus general manager Don Waddell to make a trade, whether it\'s players on their respective teams currently, up-and-coming prospects, or some future first-round or second-round draft picks. Obviously, Waddell isn\'t going to jump at the first offer that comes across his table, and has lots of time to figure things out. Werenski also has some clout as he has a full no movement clause in 2026-27, and a modified no movement clause (10-team trade list) in the final year of his six year, $57.5 million contract ($9.583 million average annual value).

So, with the fanbase and some in Flyer media circles wondering just what it would take for Philadelphia general manager Danny Briere to land Werenski, perhaps it might be time to wonder if the deal makes sense for the Flyers. Of course, landing a Norris Trophy winner at any point is rarely considered a bad deal. And given the stellar two-way play Werenski had on a team that narrowly missed the playoffs, dreams of him quarterbacking and resurrecting Philadelphia\'s power play would put a smile on any Flyers fan. But would Werenski, for all his talent and assets, be the right move for Philadelphia at this moment? Here are some reasons why it might be, at the very least, pause for thought.

The injury factor

Werenski has missed just 20 games over the last three regular seasons combined. That\'s not a lot of time injured. Nor does it reveal any signs of a lingering or nagging injury. However, Werenski has had his share of issues in his history, and particularly with his shoulder. In December 2020, he missed seven games with a shoulder injury. Late in 2021-22, he missed 10 games over three different stints with an upper body injury. In November 2022, Werenski suffered another shoulder injury which put him out for the season, costing him the last 69 games of the year for Columbus. He hasn\'t had any issues with that area since then, but given the concern the Flyers had with Jamie Drysdale and his injury history when he arrived from Anaheim, it\'s a cause for concern. Nobody\'s expecting his shoulder to fall off. Nonetheless, it\'s always in the back of a person\'s mind.

Added to that, Werenski had some other bumps and bruises over the years including a sports hernia and an ankle injury. Naturally, there are bound to be injuries over a career that sees Werenski entering his eleventh season. But would trading key players, crucial prospects and emptying the draft cupboards a bit be worth landing a defenseman who has had shoulder issues in the past? It\'s clear if Philadelphia were to land Werenski, he will be the number one defenseman. He\'ll be eating up a chunk of minutes each night, probably around the same 26:37 per game he played last season. So he\'s bound to be on the receiving end of some punishment. Again, nobody has a crystal ball, and Werenski might have a consecutive game streak that lasts the rest of his career. But it\'s something to ponder, especially when you look at another factor that goes into a Werenski trade.

The cost to land him

Obviously, Waddell is hoping that Werenski will change his mind and finish his career in Ohio. But, he also has to be open to the idea he\'ll have to trade him. He\'ll listen to any and all offers, and do what\'s best for Columbus at the end of the day. The Flyers could put together a package that would rival any other team in the league. And that might be enough to seal the deal, provided Werenski agrees to waive the no movement clause this summer and head to Philadelphia for the next chapter in his career.

There are a handful of names that have been tossed about regarding what Columbus would want from the Flyers. Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Cam York, Matvei Michkov and even Porter Martone have been names that have been put out there on social media in terms of players that Waddell might fancy. Not that Briere would part with all five players to land Werenski (at least hopefully not). But would parting with the likes of Foerster and/or Michkov and Martone be worth Werenski? Most likely not to a lot of people. If one of those three were to go, it wouldn\'t be ideal, but would be the cost of landing a Norris Trophy stud. If two of the three went, then you would have to seriously question what exactly Philadelphia was doing the last four seasons, namely laying the foundation for a fresh start only to see those prime youngsters and prospects playing for a division rival.

Briere has repeatedly told everyone any move has to make sense. So the price for Werenski might be steep. It can\'t be an overpay, especially for a club that is just getting off the ground in terms of its rebuild. Landing Werenski to see one or two future pieces gone might still see Philadelphia winning the trade in the big picture. However, in the short-term, it could probably be a step sideways at best, or a small step forward. As well, the trade would only be worthwhile if Werenski agreed to an extension with Philadelphia at the end of 2027-28. Philadelphia\'s contending window hasn\'t really opened up at all despite making the playoffs and getting to round two last season. So parting with those pieces alongside picks for two seasons of Werenski only to see him hit free agency in the summer of 2028 would be asinine. And closing a window that really hasn\'t even opened yet.

Again, there\'s no timetable as to when a Norris Trophy winner (or top ten defenseman) hits the market. It\'s only happened a handful of times the last two decades, with Chris Pronger, Erik Karlsson, and Quinn Hughes coming to mind. Most remember what Pronger was able to do for Philadelphia in his short time. And how important he was to the club. It\'s possible that Werenski could fall into that category. But Philadelphia can\'t break the bank in terms of youth or prospects to secure Werenski\'s services, as tempting as it might be.

The cost to keep him

Aside from the players and picks going out, one would also have to figure how Werenski would fit into the Flyers salary cap. It\'s not like Briere would be extremely reluctant when it comes to resigning the defenseman to a lengthy extension, especially if Werenski provided a lot of value across the board. One would have to remember Werenski would turn 31 months before the extension would be kicking in. Not over the hill, but a bit longer in the tooth, and, most likely, more yesterdays in his career than tomorrows.

With a rising salary cap, an extension for Werenski would be well north of $10 million AAV, especially considering he\'s making over $9.5 million currently in his deal. So any kind of extension would probably cost Philadelphia on the low end $12.5 million per year to possibly $14 million or $15 million per season. With a cap that is booming in the next few seasons, players are going to be making more than previous seasons under a rigid cap structure. But is Werenski at that cost logical? Particularly when the Flyers might be needing to sign Porter Martone, Michkov, or others to sizable extensions around the same time? Of course those players could be \"bridged\" with another deal under restricted free agency. But signing them sooner than later might save the club a bit more in terms of their respective cap hits.

Werenski\'s contract would probably come with a few movement clauses, meaning Philadelphia would be on the hook for him regardless of his performance on the ice. There\'s no evidence to support Werenski\'s career is taking a downward trajectory. And there\'s no reason to believe if he stays healthy he couldn\'t be a dependable top-four defenseman near the homestretch of the extension. Briere has to have this in mind now if he\'s trading for Werenski. Although the cap is going to be high, $15 million per year over eight years is still a chunk of coin. Particularly for a player who hasn\'t seen playoff action since 2019-20.

A lot of ifs

If Zach Werenski choses another team but Philadelphia, then it\'s not necessarily the fault of Briere. Werenski might have his eyes set on a short list like Detroit\'s Dylan Larkin and might play hardball with his general manager. Both Waddell and Werenski aren\'t looking for a messy ending, but neither side is going to back down much. Should the Flyers win the Werenski sweepstakes, it puts the club on entirely new footing. A part of the foundation has most likely gone out the door. But a cornerstone stud defenseman is probably here for a while.

It\'s a move that seems like a no-brainer to many. However, when Pronger, Karlsson, and Quinn were all traded, their impacts didn\'t immediately result in a Stanley Cup with their new clubs. Close? Yes. But not close enough. Werenski has value, but there are risks that come with it. The Flyers have to approach Werenski as a great player. Just not the guaranteed Cup-leading savior for the club moving forward.

Talking Points