The Columbus Blue Jackets Kirill Marchenko situation is one of the biggest unfinished storylines as the new 2026-2027 campaign fast approaches. Marchenko is heading into the final season of his current $3.85 million contract with the club. A Marchenko move has been rumored for some time as the prevailing expectation is that he does not plan on extending with Columbus when his deal expires.
Marchenko was non-committal on his future plans in training camp. When asked by team reporters if he wants to play hockey in Columbus, Marchenko had this to say: “I want to play hockey. It’s all I can say right now.” If Marchenko indeed wants out, this means that Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell likely needs to execute a trade in order to avoid losing the star forward for nothing next summer. The question is which team would make the sense for Marchenko and the team to engage in business with?
Canadiens Among Teams Linked to Marchenko
The team that has received the most traction as an attractive destination for Marchenko is the Montreal Canadiens. Even after signing forward Chris Kreider, it would appear that Montreal is still in the market for another top-six forward addition. Insider Chris Johnston delivered the latest on Marchenko in his latest show: “He’s been linked to the Canadiens, but there would be other teams…that would love to get their hands on him; it doesn’t seem like one to me that’s going to resolve itself quickly.”
Unsurprisingly, the Canadiens are not the only team that would be in the running for Marchenko if he became available. Marchenko has made his mark as a dangerous player for the Blue Jackets since he joined the squad in 2022. He has amassed 102 goals and 106 assists for 208 points in 292 regular season games since he entered the league. The bidding war would be high to acquire Marchenko’s services, so there is no rush on Columbus’ side to resolve this situation.
Marchenko Makes Sense for Montreal
As for why the Canadiens would pull the trigger on a move for Marchenko, the answer is clear. He would be a valuable piece in their forward core, especially for a player like Ivan Demidov. The team has frontloaded their first line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky. As a result, this has left Demidov on a second line island. Marchenko is a fellow Russian and could develop dynamic chemistry with Demidov.
There is the argument that Marchenko is a player that Montreal no longer needs after the club acquired Kreider after his contract was terminated by the Anaheim Ducks. Kreider recorded 50 points with the Ducks last season; he may be the answer they have been looking for when it comes to plugging their hole in the top-six. However, Kreider is not getting any younger. He heads into this season at 35 years old; he is a short-term solution to the problem at hand. Meanwhile, the 26 year old Marchenko has not even seen his prime days yet. He could be the long-term answer the team has been searching for on offense.
Insider Links Canadiens to Potential Kirill Marchenko Move