Training camp has barely opened, but the Blue Jackets already have one of the league’s loudest situations hanging over them: Kirill Marchenko.
Until that changes, the buzz isn’t going anywhere. Marchenko could simply skate into opening night in Columbus, or the whole thing could take a sharp turn with a trade.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that today may be a soft deadline for any deal, since it would be the last chance for a team to sign Marchenko to an 8-year contract extension. After midnight tonight, the maximum term drops to 7 years.
That detail matters because, as Friedman sees it, a team might be tempted to raise its offer before that window closes. If Columbus is moving Marchenko, the price would need to be huge.
That’s been the message from Don Waddell all along. He hasn’t shown any interest in moving Marchenko unless the return clearly helps the Blue Jackets, and that’s the right posture for where this team is right now. Marchenko may not want to stay long-term, but he remains under team control this season and next.
There’s been no shortage of speculation this summer, including plenty of wild ideas from fans of other teams about what their general manager might offer. Most of those proposals, as things stand, don’t come close. Waddell’s stance has been pretty clear: he’s not handing Marchenko away just to say he made a trade.
For now, Marchenko sounds like he’s getting ready for the season the same way he always has. It hasn’t turned into a distraction from his side, which makes a Columbus start look likely unless the offers get dramatically better.
And if the Jackets were to even consider moving him, it wouldn’t be for a pile of futures. They built this roster to try to win now, so any deal would have to bring back players who can help replace Marchenko’s production right away.
That kind of package hasn’t shown up yet. Waddell can afford to wait, keep Marchenko for the start of the season, and see how things unfold.
If the Blue Jackets perform to their ceiling, they still have a shot at convincing him to stay. As the old line goes, winning cures everything.
If that doesn’t happen, the value could still hold - but only if Marchenko has a strong season. That would be in everyone’s interest. He’s in a contract year and will get his first real chance at a major deal next summer.
So Friedman's read is the one to watch. If Columbus moves Marchenko today, the return has to be enormous enough to calm the fanbase. If it isn’t, this could look like the kind of move that sends the Blue Jackets toward another long rebuild.
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The partnership is being billed as a way to make nights at the rink feel a little more special, with exclusive Blue Jackets-themed ice cream offerings part of the plan. The rollout is expected to grow over the season, leaving room for the team and Johnsons to build on the collaboration as the year goes on. [Read more 🡒]