Zach Werenski and Brady Tkachuk are not asking out today, but the noise surrounding both players is getting louder. As the NHL offseason unfolds, trade speculation has followed these two stars like a shadow.
Both Tkachuk and Werenski have spent years carrying the weight of their organizations. While neither Columbus nor Ottawa is dealing with an active trade request (yet), recent comments from a prominent insider suggest both situations deserve close attention.
The discussion took center stage when Frank Seravalli connected the futures of Werenski and Tkachuk during a recent appearance on the Big Show with Rusic & Rose podcast.
Frank Seravalli Says Zach Werenski and Brady Tkachuk Are “Teetering on the Edge”
This speculation did not begin with a report of a trade demand, which is becoming something of a habit around the league this summer. Instead, it started with Seravalli drawing a striking comparison between two franchise cornerstones who have endured years of ups and downs with their teams.
“Zach Werenski, I think, is kind of like Brady Tkachuk, teetering on the edge of, ‘Is this the year? Is this the time that he asks?'” Seravalli noted. He quickly added, “But I don’t know that he’s gotten there yet.”
These remarks immediately turned heads because both players occupy similar positions within their organizations. Werenski is the Blue Jackets’ top defenseman and is coming off a remarkable season that ended with a Norris Trophy.
He recorded 81 points in 75 games and continued to log over 24 minutes while carrying Columbus’ blueline. Yet despite his individual success, the Blue Jackets faded from the playoff race late in the season, raising fresh concerns about the team’s direction.
The backdrop makes Seravalli’s comments particularly interesting. Dylan Larkin’s trade request in Detroit has become one of the NHL’s biggest offseason storylines, and Werenski’s close relationship with the Red Wings captain has naturally fueled outside curiosity.
The two are longtime friends, former teammates at the University of Michigan, and recently celebrated a gold medal together with Team USA in Milano Cortina.
Meanwhile, Tkachuk’s name remains a fixture in trade conversations despite repeated efforts to shut down the rumors.
Ottawa has made it to the playoffs twice, but a first-round sweep by Carolina has shifted attention toward what comes next. The Senators’ captain finished the series without a point, and the disappointing exit only intensified speculation surrounding his future.
Seravalli also used the discussion to clear up misconceptions about tampering, an issue that often surfaces whenever star players are linked together. “The misconception is someone said, ‘Oh, this is tampering. Lots of players are tampering,'” he explained.
He went on to clarify the difference between casual player conversations and actual violations.
“Saying to another player, ‘Hey, come play on my team,’ or saying to another player, ‘Hey, let’s team up,’ that’s not tampering,” Seravalli pointed out.
He added that the line is crossed only when a player acts on behalf of team management, saying, “If a player is gathering and delivering information on behalf of his team… that’s different. That is tampering.”
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For now, neither Werenski nor Tkachuk appears ready to force a move. But Seravalli’s assessment suggests both stars are approaching a crossroads where patience could become a major storyline, making them two of the most closely watched names of the 2026 offseason.
