The longer the Kirill Marchenko situation sits, the trickier it gets for Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell.
That’s the basic problem here: if Waddell waits too long, the market can move against him in two very different ways. As David Ettedgui put it, Marchenko’s trade value could start slipping if the season goes sideways, because a down year would hit the return Columbus could expect in any deal. But if Marchenko blows up and has a monster season, the price tag climbs so high that the pool of teams able to pull off a sign-and-trade shrinks fast.
“Scenario 1: Marchenko has a down year. If his production dips or he collapses this season, his trade value tanks and the return offered to Columbus gets hit hard.
Scenario 2: Marchenko has a monster season. With the current salary explosion, he’ll demand a massive contract.
Consequence? The number of teams able to pull off a “sign-and-trade” will plummet dramatically.
Waddell won’t even be able to drum up a bidding war, since very few clubs will have the cap space to both give up key pieces and absorb a huge deal.”
That’s why the idea of moving him now is being floated as a way to maximize the return. Ettedgui suggested a sign-and-trade on an eight-year deal, perhaps in the $9 to $9.5 million range, and said that kind of structure could push a club like the Montreal Canadiens or Utah Mammoth into paying a premium for Machenko.
The Canadiens angle, though, comes with a big question: does Kiril Marchenko actually fit?
On The Sick Podcast with Tony Marino, Pierre McGuire dug into Montreal’s needs and why Marchenko may not line up with them the way some have suggested. McGuire said the Canadiens have two clear organizational priorities, and neither one is a winger.
“I think they have to evaluate where they see the player long term. And the organizational need, well, there are two. One is on right defense, and the other one is a second (line) center.
Marchenko is not a defenseman. He’s not a defensive player, so he didn’t fit on the defense.
He’s not a center iceman. He’s a winger.
He has never been a center iceman.
I don’t know where some of these people reporting this. He’s a perfect fit for Montreal.
He could be their second. He’s doesn’t play center.
So, does he fit? Yeah, could he be an upgrade on (Alex) Newhook on the, offensively, he could.
Newhook does a lot other stuff besides the offense. And I think that’s the part that’s always overlooked on Alex Newhook is that he doesn’t get enough credit for being a complete player, he’s a pretty complete player.
He doesn’t score easily, but he does a lot other stuff.
Montreal Canadiens Rumors: Kirill Marchenko and Remaining Patient
So I don’t know if Marchenko is a fit for them. If I were going to be spending assets and I was going to be spending money, I’d be trying to do to the second center.
Because you know everybody’s like Michael Hage this, Michael Hage that. It’s not that easy.”
So while Marchenko may be an attractive name on the market, Montreal’s fit is not as clean as it first sounds. The Canadiens may have interest, but McGuire’s point is simple: if they’re going to spend the assets and the money, the smarter move might be to keep pushing toward a second-line center instead.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Give Fans A New Reason To Debate This Core
A fresh look at the Blue Jackets roster economics offers a different kind of snapshot than the usual standings check, and it lands at an interesting moment for a team still trying to define its long-term core. Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic ranked NHL clubs by contract efficiency, weighing market value against actual salary, and Columbus came out 15th, a step that suggests there is more good value in the roster than the casual glance might reveal.
Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski stood out as players providing positive value surpluses, the kind of production that can make a roster easier to build around. But the analysis also underscored the familiar push and pull of team construction, with names like Cole Sillinger and Charlie Coyle showing negative value in the evaluation, leaving the Blue Jackets with a little more to debate about which pieces are truly driving the foundation and which ones still need to justify their place. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Stay In The Middle Of A Goalie Debate Fans Feel Strongly About
As the NHL drifts toward another offseason of trade chatter, Columbus is again finding its name attached to one of the louder rumors. The Blue Jackets are among the teams that could be active as the 2026-27 season approaches, with Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski both mentioned in the broader swirl of possible deals, while other clubs around the league are also expected to explore their own roster changes.
Kirill Marchenko is the name to watch in the trade talk, especially with interest coming from Montreal and the kind of league-wide speculation that tends to spread fast once the offseason opens up. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said it had been weeks since he last discussed a possible Marchenko trade with another general manager, but that has not done much to quiet a conversation that still feels very much alive. [Read more 🡒]