Blue Jackets keep climbing, with a young core rising amid a Zach Werenski question

The Columbus Blue Jackets are a young team on the rise, and they enter the 2026 offseason coming off an encouraging step forward — a season that had them in the playoff conversation deep into the schedule. But the summer hasn't been without intrigue, as trade buzz surrounding star defenseman Zach Werenski and a coaching change give Columbus one of the more eventful offseasons in the division.

A rising young core

The Blue Jackets' resurgence is built on ascending young talent, led by centers Adam Fantilli and skilled forwards Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson. This is a group with real upside, and its collective growth is the reason Columbus has climbed back toward relevance faster than many expected. A team built around this much young ability has a bright future, and the progress it showed last season was genuine.

The Werenski question and a new voice

The offseason's storyline is Werenski, the team's leading scorer and a star on the blue line, who has been the subject of trade speculation. Whether Columbus keeps its cornerstone defenseman or cashes in will shape the franchise's direction, and it's the kind of decision that defines an offseason. The Blue Jackets also installed a new head coach during 2026 and saw their longtime captain depart, adding to a summer of change for a team finding its footing.

Season outlook

Columbus enters 2026-27 looking to build on its progress in a Metropolitan Division that lacks a clear challenger to champion Carolina. The young core gives the Blue Jackets a rising floor, and if the ascending talent takes another step, a playoff push is realistic. The wild card is the Werenski situation — keeping him strengthens the present, while moving him would signal a longer view. Either way, Columbus is trending in the right direction, with a new coach and a young group that's only getting better. For a franchise that has endured plenty of lean years, the arrow is finally pointing up.