The New York Islanders would have plenty of interest if Kirill Marchenko ever hits the market. The harder part is obvious: getting him would cost a lot, and maybe more than the Islanders should want to pay right now.
Daria Tuboltseva of RG.org reported that a source close to the Columbus Blue Jackets forward said Marchenko expects to be traded in the near future, with talks between Columbus and another team already ongoing. If that happens, Columbus is expected to ask for a major return.
That makes sense given the player involved. Marchenko is 26, right in the middle of his prime, and he’s already shown he can be a true top-six winger.
Over a full season, he profiles as the kind of scorer who can land around 30 goals and 70 points. That sort of player does not come available often, and when he does, the price usually starts with premium assets.
For the Islanders, that’s where the real debate begins. General manager Mathieu Darche has made it clear that rebuilding the prospect pipeline matters, even after the organization has already added to it over the past year. A move for Marchenko would almost certainly mean giving back some of that progress.
A deal in that range would likely have to begin with two of the Islanders’ top prospects, plus draft compensation. If Columbus pushed for NHL-ready pieces like Cal Ritchie or Isaiah George, the Islanders would probably need to sweeten the package with a young roster player such as Emil Heineman or with additional draft capital. If Darche refused to put Ritchie and George on the table, the focus could shift to prospects like Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson instead.
None of those options would be easy to swallow. And beyond the price tag, there’s the bigger issue: it would run against the way Darche has described his plan.
Since taking over, he has stressed building something sustainable rather than chasing short-term fixes at the expense of the future. A big swing may come someday, but this does not sound like the moment.
Marchenko would help the Islanders right away. There’s no question about that. But landing him would also raise the pressure to win now while stripping away depth from a prospect pool that has already started to improve.
That kind of move may fit a team like the Buffalo Sabres or Montreal Canadiens, clubs that seem closer to the next step. For the Islanders, keeping the organizational depth intact might matter more than adding another proven scorer, even one with Marchenko’s upside.
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