Kirill Marchenko’s next contract may not be a Columbus Blue Jackets conversation until next summer.
That’s the read from NHL insider Aaron Portzline, who said on the DLLS Stars Podcast that the winger is likely to wait until he’s eligible for restricted free agency with arbitration rights before getting serious about a new deal. Portzline pointed to a trend among other top RFAs this offseason and said, "I think we learned this summer that these high end RFAs, they're now using July 1st as their leverage; I think Marchenko's gonna go into next year after July 1st before he does anything."
Marchenko is still under contract through the 2026-27 season at a $3.85 million cap hit, but the noise around his future has not gone away. General manager Don Waddell has continued to say the Blue Jackets expect their leading goal scorer to stay put, even with trade talk following him around.
"I've had discussions with his agent, which we won't discuss right now, but Marchenko is going to be a Blue Jacket when the season starts," Waddell said during his free agency press conference last month.
Portzline’s view is that Marchenko’s reported plan to hold off until next July has already cooled the market on a possible trade. Columbus, as it stands now, is expected to keep the 25-year-old and come back to contract talks after the season.
There are real risks baked into that path. If Marchenko has a down year, his trade value could take a hit. If he puts together another huge season, his asking price climbs, and the list of teams able to pull off a sign-and-trade gets smaller.
The Montreal Canadiens keep getting mentioned as a possible destination if Columbus ever changes direction, but NHL analyst Marco D'Amico recently said there’s little sign that actual talks are happening right now. Speaking on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, D'Amico said Portzline had pushed back on the latest chatter and noted there had been no discussions between the teams earlier this month.
Still, D'Amico said Montreal would be ready if the situation ever opens up.
"The only thing I can confirm is if the Columbus Blue Jackets do get to a point where they decide to move Kirill Marchenko, the Montreal Canadiens will be all over it."
Marchenko is entering the final season of his current contract and is projected to be one of the NHL’s top restricted free agents next summer. He followed up his 74-point season in 2024-25 with another strong year in 2025-26, finishing with 27 goals, 40 assists and 67 points in 76 games.
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