The Canadiens’ reported price range for Kirill Marchenko may already have a useful measuring stick: the near-deal for Matthew Knies.
On the Sick Podcast, Stu Cowan suggested the cost to land Marchenko would look a lot like the package Montreal was prepared to move for Knies earlier this year. That gives a pretty clear sense of just how steep the ask could be if Kent Hughes decides to chase another big-name forward.
The Knies story is the key reference point. David Pagnotta said the Canadiens came very close to landing the Maple Leafs forward at the trade deadline, and the reported return was hefty. Toronto was said to be on the verge of sending Knies to Montreal for four assets, with prospect Alexander Zharovsky and two first-round picks at the center of the deal.
Zharovsky, 19, put up 16 goals and 42 points in 59 KHL games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa last season. The fourth piece was never fully nailed down, though sources close to the situation indicated it was a defenceman, likely Adam Engstrom or Bryce Pickford.
Knies himself is a 6-foot-3 power forward who scored 23 goals and totaled 66 points in 79 games last season, even with a minus-30 rating. His contract also matters here: the left-shot forward is signed through 2031 at $7.75 million per season.
That kind of package - a high-end prospect, two first-rounders and a young defenceman - would be a major outlay for Montreal. Which is why the real question around Marchenko is simple: would Hughes be willing to spend that much of the organization’s asset pool for him, the same way he reportedly was for Knies?
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For Montreal, that matters because this is the kind of situation where every possible move gets examined through the lens of fit and flexibility. The Canadiens have been tied to Kirill Marchenko as a possible target, but any real pursuit would have to line up with the clubs cap picture and its current roster crunch, which makes the path forward more complicated than simply identifying a name they like. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Risk Chasing The Wrong Upgrade With Kirill Marchenko
Kirill Marchenkos name is starting to surface in trade chatter again, and for clubs like Montreal the appeal is obvious. He is young, productive and still has room to grow, which is exactly the kind of profile that can tempt a team looking to add offense without waiting through a full rebuild. But the conversation around him is not just about talent, it is about fit, and that is where the Canadiens have to be careful about what kind of upgrade they are actually chasing.
The bigger question is whether Marchenko addresses the right need for Montreal at all. He brings a scorers touch and the kind of game that can help a lineup, but some of the analysis around him points to a broader roster issue for the Canadiens, one that goes beyond adding another skilled winger. If Columbus and Don Waddell decide to move him, the market could get interesting fast, yet Montreals challenge will be resisting the urge to solve one problem while leaving the more important one untouched. [Read more 🡒]