The Montreal Canadiens’ pursuit of Kirill Marchenko was not just smoke. Elliotte Friedman has now confirmed that Montreal did, in fact, put a real trade offer in front of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“There were some reports out there that they made a big offer to Columbus, there was definitely an offer made.”
That confirmation matters because it shows the Canadiens weren’t simply checking in on a player out of due diligence. Kent Hughes was pushing for a forward, and Marchenko was clearly on the radar.
Friedman also poured a little cold water on the idea that the offer was some massive overpay.
“I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder there.”
The bigger hurdle, though, is that Marchenko isn’t actually available. Friedman made that part plain.
“But right now, he's not available,” Friedman confirmed.
That lines up with what Columbus’ general manager has already said: the Blue Jackets have no intention of moving him. So while Montreal made its move, the answer from Columbus appears to be a firm no for now.
Still, the fact that the Canadiens made a concrete push says plenty about where Hughes’ head is at. He’s looking for a legitimate top-six forward, and he’s clearly willing to test the market hard to find one.
For now, the situation is simple: the offer was real, Marchenko is not on the market, and Montreal has at least shown it’s willing to be aggressive if the door ever opens. If Columbus changes course, the Canadiens would almost certainly be back in the mix.
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Hutsons value only looks better against that backdrop. His production has already separated him from Mintyukovs, and the contract gap feels even wider when the market is pushing upward around them. For the Canadiens, it is the kind of development that makes an already favorable deal look even sharper, even if the broader defenseman market is still leaving plenty of room for more expensive decisions elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]