DLLS Stars: Aaron Portzline, when asked what went down with Zach Werenski and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Host: “What went down with Werenski and the Blue Jackets that made it look like they weren’t going to be long-term partners?
Portzline: “Yeah, well, it got messy and it, it was just full of questions throughout the whole process. Part of it was he wasn’t talking. His agent was only talking to certain people, and it feels to me as though the message delivered to certain people was different than a message delivered at times to the team. So you know, and I think, I don’t think you can be too clear with this.
Did he ask for a trade? He did not ask for a trade. This is my understanding. Did he tell them he wasn’t going to re-sign? He did not tell them he wasn’t going to re-sign. What was articulated is that, he has two years left in his deal. Usually, these conversations aren’t had with two years left in the, in the deal. That to me is part of the story. Sure, that if things don’t get better, if he doesn’t feel like he can win here, he is not likely to, to sign an extension. Things have to get better.
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I would say that that’s probably. And sometimes things sound worse when they’re said publicly, but when you really look at them, is that really that surprising? But it wasn’t delivered that way. It didn’t become public that way. It became public as he is not going to sign, and some distilled that to he has asked for a trade.
So we also can’t be naive about this, guys. I’m speaking to myself here. He was traded to the Dallas Stars. So there was something there. I mean, this is wasn’t just a figment of some people’s imaginations. He was traded, and if it weren’t for the no-move clause, he would be, you’d be talking to him right now. Maybe, you know. So that demands some explanation as well.
But I also think it defends his assertion that he didn’t ask for a trade. Like, why would he? If he wanted to be traded, why wouldn’t he be in Dallas right now if he wanted to be traded, right? That’s a hell of a spot to be in. So to me, that almost buttresses the argument that he doesn’t, right now, wish to be traded.
He also really, really wants things to get pushed forward quicker here in Columbus. They have gotten better four straight years. They started to rebuild four years ago. They’ve gotten better in each of the last four years, both points-wise and standings-wise. But are they doing enough to keep up with the arms race in the East and the arms race at the top of the NHL? I think you could make an argument that they’re not.
Part of this too is, and you guys haven’t maybe experienced this as much as teams that, that have rebuilt, but the easiest part is deciding to rebuild. And that first couple years is kind of fun because it’s kind of gravy, and you’ve got a bunch of young guys that you’re like really optimistic about. And then it gets hard. Sometimes you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, right?
So they’ve got some guys on this team, Dmitri Voronkov, Kent Johnson, who have so much freaking talent. And I know potential is a scary, risky word. They’ve shown it in this league. 20-plus goals for each of them. It’s in there. It has not been delivered on a consistent basis. But you can’t rebuild and then cut bait with these guys when they’re 21 and 22 years old. People want more out of Adam Fantilli. I think he’s a hell of a player for a 21-year-old number one center in the NHL. But you can’t just say at 21, this is what he is.
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Like these are the growing pains that you have to go through. The Buffalo hope, you hope it doesn’t take as long as Buffalo’s did, where those guys, all of them, almost seemingly overnight bloomed at once, right? They’ve got some guys here who have to step up and deliver. They’ve got some veterans too; it’s not just the young guys. But that’s what has to happen here for to move them forward.
And it’s tricky timing because Werenski’s got two years left. They can’t afford to be too patient too much longer. And patience is a four-letter word in Columbus, Ohio, and has been for a long time now when it relates to hockey.
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