The temperature in Columbus keeps rising, and Rick Bowness only turned up the heat.
During a Q&A published by Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the Blue Jackets coach was asked about a messy summer and brushed aside the situations involving Zach Werenski and Adam Fantilli. But it was his next line that really landed.
“As for the rest, we're no different than any other team. The only guys you want on your team are the ones who want to be here.”
That answer has only added to the noise around Kirill Marchenko.
Bowness also admitted he has not talked much with the Russian winger lately, and that detail only deepens the sense that communication between Marchenko and Columbus leadership has nearly dried up. From the outside, it sure looks like this could be heading toward the finish line.
The timing makes things even more interesting. Sept. 15 is the last day a player can be offered an eight-year contract, and that same deadline applies to deals with more favorable bonus structures. In practical terms, Marchenko would have every reason to be moved today.
That leaves Don Waddell with a decision to make. The Blue Jackets general manager has already said he is willing to listen on any player, Marchenko included, and that kind of openness usually invites action if the return is right.
There’s also the small but notable detail that Marchenko missed the team’s golf tournament a few days ago, though Mark Scheig later reported that he has since arrived in town.
On the ice, Marchenko has already shown plenty. He put up 67 points last season, scored 27 goals, and carries a $3.85 million cap hit.
In Other News...
Canadiens Just Sent A Message Established NHL Players Will Notice
Interest from established NHL players has not always been the first thing associated with Montreal during the rebuild, but that is starting to change. The Canadiens have built out a promising young core, and the club is beginning to look like a destination veterans can picture themselves joining rather than just a stopover for future potential.
Chris Kreiders reported interest in Montreal fits that shift and says as much about the organizations current standing as it does about the player market. For Kent Hughes, it is another encouraging sign that the Canadiens work is resonating beyond their own locker room, with the kind of reputation boost that can matter when more established names start weighing where they want to play next. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Send A Clear Leadership Message With Their Latest Choice
After Brendan Gallagher was traded, the Canadiens wasted little time making a statement about who they want setting the tone in the room. Josh Anderson was named an alternate captain, a choice that fits the way Montreal has long valued his mix of physical edge, experience and willingness to play through the heavy stuff that comes with a long season.
The move also says something about where the leadership group stands right now, with younger players still on the rise and a future core taking shape. Lane Hutson is already part of that conversation in a broader sense, but for now Montreal is leaning on a veteran presence to help bridge the gap while the next wave settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Still Have One Costly Roster Hole After Kreider Move
Chris Kreider gives Montreal another proven scorer in the top six, and that should help a forward group that needed more finishing punch. Even so, the Canadiens still have a glaring need down the middle, where the search for a reliable second-line center has not gone away just because one winger arrived to lighten the load.
That is why the conversation around Kent Hughes keeps circling back to veteran center help, with Ryan OReilly emerging as the cleaner fit for a club still trying to balance immediate progress with longer-term roster building. Kirill Marchenko is the kind of name that can surface in future discussions, but Columbus has been reluctant to move him, leaving Montreal to weigh other ways to solve the center problem before the gap becomes too costly to ignore. [Read more 🡒]