Kirill Marchenko’s name has been floating around the rumor mill, but the Blue Jackets aren’t acting like a trade is imminent. Don Waddell told Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch that Columbus still expects the winger to be in training camp with the club in a couple of weeks, even though other teams have checked in on the 26-year-old. Waddell also made it clear that any deal would need to make sense for the Blue Jackets, not just the team trying to land Marchenko.
That’s notable because Marchenko is coming off a strong season, posting 27 goals and 40 assists in 76 games. He has one year left on his bridge deal at $3.85MM, and his next contract could land him a major raise.
There was also a report that he told the team before the draft he would prefer not to re-sign there. For now, though, Columbus is signaling that if something happens, it won’t be right away.
In Washington, Chris Patrick gave an update on Rasmus Sandin’s recovery from ACL surgery, and the Capitals are hoping for the best-case end of the timeline. Speaking to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, Patrick said the 26-year-old is tracking toward the shorter side of the six-to-nine-month recovery window after the procedure on April 22nd.
Even with that optimism, Sandin is still expected to miss at least the first four weeks of the season. That makes him a candidate to go on LTIR early if Washington needs some short-term cap room.
Sandin finished last season with 29 points in 73 games while averaging a little over 19 minutes per night.
The Flyers, meanwhile, don’t appear ready to hand Jett Luchanko a long look at center. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports that Philadelphia plans to have the 20-year-old spend the entire season with AHL Lehigh Valley.
Luchanko has appeared in four regular-season games in each of the last two seasons, with the rest of his time going to the OHL. He put up 43 points in 38 regular-season games there last season, and the Flyers seem to think another year in the minors will help him get used to the pro game.
Trevor Zegras, who got some time down the middle late last season, is still an option to be tried at center in training camp.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Face A Costly Goalie Temptation They Should Resist
Connor Hellebuycks name is already out there after the Winnipeg Jets goalie reportedly asked for a trade through his agent, and that alone is enough to make the rest of the league take notice. For a Blue Jackets team trying to sort out its own crease, the appeal is obvious: Hellebuyck would be a clear upgrade in goal and one of the rare players who could instantly change the conversation around the position.
Still, Columbus does not need to chase every big name that becomes available, especially with Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins already on the books and the salary cap picture far from simple. Even if the fit is tempting, the price would be heavy enough to force a hard look at the rest of the roster, which is why this is the kind of idea that sounds better in theory than in practice for the Blue Jackets. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Fans Will Remember What Jersey No. 30 Came To Mean
For Blue Jackets fans, jersey No. 30 has long felt tied to the teams history in goal, tracing back to the early days of the franchise and a stretch of netminders who each left a different kind of imprint. The number became part of the clubs identity through a run of goaltenders whose arrivals, departures and next steps helped map out the organizations development in a position that has often defined its seasons.
The list has ranged from established veterans to short-term stopgaps, with each stint adding another layer to what No. 30 has meant in Columbus. The latest chapter came with a brief appearance in 2023-24, a reminder that the jersey still carries weight even when the player in it is only passing through. [Read more 🡒]