A new trade idea has Kirill Marchenko linked to the Canadiens, and the proposed price tag is a hefty one.
In the scenario shared by Jordan Decker, Montreal would send Kaiden Guhle, Alexander Zharovsky and a first-round pick to Columbus in exchange for the Russian forward. It’s the kind of package that immediately tells you how much value Marchenko carries around the league.
That’s not hard to understand. Marchenko put up 67 points last season, including 27 goals, and at 6-foot-3 he brings the size and power-wing profile that tends to draw attention. With production like that, interest is going to keep following him.
Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell recently said the forward would report to camp, while leaving the door open by not ruling out a trade. That keeps the conversation alive, even if nothing is close to done.
For Montreal, the ask would be significant. Moving Guhle would be a major swing, especially since he remains an important part of the Canadiens’ blue line despite recent health issues. Zharovsky is also part of the discussion, though his value may have taken a hit after being dropped to the fourth line by his KHL team.
The bigger takeaway is that this proposal shows the kind of return Columbus could seek if it decides to move a young, affordable forward like Marchenko. It also shows how expensive the Canadiens would have to get if they really wanted him.
Still, this remains a hypothetical. There’s no confirmation the Blue Jackets have any real interest in Guhle or Zharovsky, and there’s no guarantee Columbus would accept an offer like this anyway. Montreal may not be willing to part with that much either.
With training camp coming fast, the window for a deal is narrowing. Marchenko is also entering the final year of his contract, which could push talks along in the weeks ahead.
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Canadiens Suddenly Have A Sam Montembeault Decision Worth Watching
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Kent Hughes also does not usually operate in the most obvious lanes when he is looking for value, which matters here because a simple goalie-for-pick deal may not be the path he prefers. If Montreal decides Montembeault belongs in play, the return could hinge on a more creative type of transaction, the kind that comes with a player who needs a reset or a contract another club wants to move. The broader goalie market could end up shaping how far that idea goes, and the Canadiens will be watching closely to see whether the right opening ever appears. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Reopen Practice But Dach Questions Are Only Growing
After a one-day closed-door session, the Canadiens were back in front of the public on the ice at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard, and the usual practice rhythm returned with it. Fans in attendance got a look at the group as it skated, with Kirby Dach among the players spotted during the open session, a small but notable sight for anyone following the clubs day-to-day health and lineup picture.
The brief shutdown has only added to the curiosity around why the team chose to shut things down in the first place. Montreal has not offered an official explanation for the one-day closed-door practice, leaving the move open to interpretation and keeping attention fixed on the details that matter most to a team that is already being watched closely every time it hits the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have More Urgency To Get Arber Xhekaj Signed
Kaiden Guhles recent absence from practice has given the Canadiens another reason to be uneasy as training camp approaches, especially after he was spotted in a tracksuit and then missed the last two sessions in Brossard. Any uncertainty around a young defenseman who has already become a key part of the blue line tends to ripple quickly through the rest of the roster picture, and in Montreal it has only sharpened the focus on the teams defensive depth.
It also adds a little more urgency to Kent Hughes work with Arber Xhekaj, who remains unsigned even while continuing to train with the club. The Canadiens have been carrying on as if the situation will sort itself out, but if Guhle is slowed early in the season, the need for reliable bodies on defense becomes harder to ignore and makes Xhekajs unresolved contract situation loom a lot larger. [Read more 🡒]