For weeks, the Montreal Canadiens have been floated as a natural trade match for Kirill Marchenko. That part makes sense. What’s starting to matter now is who else wants in on the conversation.
Bleacher Report recently listed five possible landing spots for Marchenko, and Montreal was among them. The fit is obvious enough: the Canadiens need a top-six forward, and they’ve been searching for a long-term answer. Marchenko, 25, checks that box with back-to-back seasons of 67 or more points.
But the Canadiens may not get a clean path to him. Lyle Richardson’s list also included the Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres, along with the Seattle Kraken and Utah Mammoth. If Marchenko becomes available, Montreal could be fighting not just for a player, but against division rivals who would make the deal sting a lot more.
A trade to the Western Conference would be easier for the Canadiens to stomach. Seeing Marchenko land with Ottawa or Buffalo and facing him regularly would be a much tougher outcome.
The bigger question is whether Columbus wants to move him at all.
That has been the central issue through much of the offseason. Montreal has been ready to make a significant move, but the Blue Jackets have not shown much interest in dealing their big forward. Marchenko is in the final year of his contract, though he will be a restricted free agent next summer, which gives Columbus some control and removes any urgent need to act.
There’s also the balancing act Columbus has to manage. The Blue Jackets want to build for the future, but they also need to show players like Zach Werenski and Adam Fantilli that they intend to stay competitive right now. Trading one of their best players just before the season would send a complicated message.
If Columbus does change course, Montreal would likely be at the front of the line. The problem is whether the Canadiens have enough NHL-ready pieces they’re willing to put on the table.
A package built around restricted free agents Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj, plus prospects and picks, might get close. But Columbus would still need to sort out deals with both players, adding another layer to an already messy situation.
So this one may take time. If the Blue Jackets eventually decide to move Marchenko, the Canadiens need to be ready - because division rivals could be waiting right there with them.
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Suzuki And Caufield Are Giving Montreal A Real Shot At History
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The bigger picture is what makes their partnership so intriguing for Canadiens fans: if both keep trending the way they have, Montreal could be looking at a run at history in 2026-27. The clubs single-season goals and assists records have been in place for years, but this duo has put itself in position to challenge them, which says plenty about how far the Canadiens core has come and how much more dangerous it could become if the pair keeps driving the offense together. [Read more 🡒]