The club presented an option to the defenseman, which prompted internal family discussions and a renewed desire to win in Columbus.
"We found something that would work for the club and took it to him," Waddell said.
Despite the challenges of the past two seasons, the entire organization remains aligned with Werenski's competitive goals.
"He has invested a great deal in this organization and after coming close and falling short the past two seasons, his desire is to win here and get this team back into the playoffs," Waddell said.
Waddell emphasized that ownership and management share the defenseman's ambitions to compete for a championship immediately.
"Our goals from ownership on down and Zach's goals are the same… to win now, return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and win a Stanley Cup," Waddell said.
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Werenski, who recorded 81 points in 75 games this past season, expressed his clear intention to achieve postseason success with the Blue Jackets.
"I want to win and I want to do that in Columbus," Werenski said.
The 28-year-old defenseman acknowledged that the trade discussions had become highly visible but felt the public narrative had escalated beyond reality.
"Don and I have had very open and honest dialogue since the season ended," Werenski said.
He expressed his affection for the city, his coaches, and his teammates while addressing his expectations for the upcoming seasons.
"Ideally, this wouldn't have become such a public thing, but that is the world we live in now and everything got blown out of proportion, in my opinion," Werenski said.
