Then came the Werenski saga. 

On June 10, a report in The Athletic suggested that Werenski could request a trade, leading to weeks of speculation about his future, this after he finished the season with 81 points (22 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games, while averaging 26:37 ice time per game, good for second in the League.

The night before free agency opened, there was a report that the Blue Jackets had worked out a trade with the Dallas Stars, but the defenseman vetoed the move. The next day, Werenski, 29, and his agent, Judd Moldaver, met with Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell; the team and player each released statements reaffirming their commitment to one another.

Gudbranson, who signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract on July 2 as an unrestricted free agent to remain with Columbus, does not foresee any awkwardness when the team reassembles for training camp in September.

“Zach is such a tremendous player, he’s such a great human and he’s a very dear friend of mine and will continue to be so and we are happy he is coming back for sure because he is a pretty good player,” Gudbranson said. “That noise aside, that’s more exterior to be honest with you. We are a pretty calm, cool, collected group and we are really focused on getting into the playoffs. We have to have a good start, not get behind the 8-ball early at the start of the season and have to claw our way back, that’s a massive focus.”

Despite the two headline-grabbing occurrences since the season ended, Gudbranson insisted everyone within the organization is in alignment and focused on ending the six-season playoff drought.

“Talking about it doesn’t do anything at the end of the day. Going out and accomplishing a goal that you set for yourself at the start of the year, it’s hard to do,” he said. “An NHL season is very difficult, it’s hard to get in the playoffs. Collectively as a group, coaching staff, everyone, we are all the same page going forward and we are very excited about the opportunity we have going into next season and the group that we have.”

The Blue Jackets have three remaining unsigned restricted free agents including goalie Jet Greaves, 25, and forward Cole Sillinger, 23, who are each arbitration-eligible, and forward Adam Fantilli, 21, who is not.

Whether the Blue Jackets name a captain to replace forward Boone Jenner, who served as captain the past five seasons, remains uncertain. Jenner signed a four-year contract with the Washington Capitals on July 1 as an unrestricted free agent after spending his first 13 NHL seasons with Columbus.

Gudbranson said the best way he sees for the Blue Jackets to overcome Jenner’s departure and end the playoff drought is if each player, younger or older, takes a degree of ownership in the goal.

“It’s a collective thing,” he said. “We actually had a really good group of guys who are older and it’s been a group thing for a while now at least during my time there. Obviously, Boone was at the head of that, and we are going to miss him dearly. Very happy he got that deal and maybe it was time, I don’t know. I wish he was still there, he’s a great buddy of mine but, nevertheless. It’s collective across the group, there’s different leaders on different days. It could be a young guy one day, there’s obviously guys who have been around a while and doing it for a while that you lean on but everybody has to be a leader in their own way.”