PM Perron put the name out there, and Ivan Miroshnichenko is the kind of player who makes you stop and look twice.
The 22-year-old winger has the sort of profile that can tempt a team like Montreal: young, talented, still unfinished. Drafted 20th overall by Washington in the 2022 NHL Draft, he has not yet locked down a permanent NHL job, but the ceiling is still there.
At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Miroshnichenko brings the build Montreal seems to be after. He shoots right-handed, plays left wing, and has the frame and style of a power forward, even if he looks like he belongs in a bigger body. That kind of package is part of the appeal.
His path hasn’t been smooth, but the numbers in the minors still pop. Last season with the Hershey Bears, he put up 34 points in 41 games. In the NHL, he had three points in 13 games with the Capitals last season, but that’s not nearly enough of a runway to make a final call on what he can become.
And that’s where the intrigue lives.
Some analysts believe Miroshnichenko could grow into a power winger who scores 15 to 20 goals a year if given the right chance, with the kind of game that can also rise in the playoffs. That’s the sort of upside that turns a player into a target.
For Kent Hughes, it’s the exact kind of swing that makes sense. Montreal has shown a preference for calculated risks like this - betting on a young player with real upside instead of paying a steep price for a more established name. It’s a way to chase talent without stripping the cupboard bare.
If the price is right, Miroshnichenko becomes a very interesting option. A player who hasn’t fully clicked in one place can sometimes find the right fit somewhere else, where the opportunity is bigger and the usage finally matches the talent.
Whether the Canadiens share Perron’s enthusiasm is another matter. But as far as upside bets go, Miroshnichenko checks the box.
In Other News...
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Now there is another wrinkle for Montreal to sort through. Ottawa is reportedly exploring the idea of bringing Laine in on a low-cost deal, and the Senators interest comes with a very specific purpose: they want a pure finisher who can help their power play. For Canadiens fans, it is the kind of rumor that does not just reopen the debate about Laines fit in Montreal, it raises the uncomfortable possibility that a division rival could be the one to take the next swing. [Read more 🡒]
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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 🡒]