Kirill Marchenko’s name has been floating around the rumor mill, but the Blue Jackets aren’t acting like a trade is imminent. Don Waddell told Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch that Columbus still expects the winger to be in training camp with the club in a couple of weeks, even though other teams have checked in on the 26-year-old. Waddell also made it clear that any deal would need to make sense for the Blue Jackets, not just the team trying to land Marchenko.
That’s notable because Marchenko is coming off a strong season, posting 27 goals and 40 assists in 76 games. He has one year left on his bridge deal at $3.85MM, and his next contract could land him a major raise.
There was also a report that he told the team before the draft he would prefer not to re-sign there. For now, though, Columbus is signaling that if something happens, it won’t be right away.
In Washington, Chris Patrick gave an update on Rasmus Sandin’s recovery from ACL surgery, and the Capitals are hoping for the best-case end of the timeline. Speaking to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, Patrick said the 26-year-old is tracking toward the shorter side of the six-to-nine-month recovery window after the procedure on April 22nd.
Even with that optimism, Sandin is still expected to miss at least the first four weeks of the season. That makes him a candidate to go on LTIR early if Washington needs some short-term cap room.
Sandin finished last season with 29 points in 73 games while averaging a little over 19 minutes per night.
The Flyers, meanwhile, don’t appear ready to hand Jett Luchanko a long look at center. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports that Philadelphia plans to have the 20-year-old spend the entire season with AHL Lehigh Valley.
Luchanko has appeared in four regular-season games in each of the last two seasons, with the rest of his time going to the OHL. He put up 43 points in 38 regular-season games there last season, and the Flyers seem to think another year in the minors will help him get used to the pro game.
Trevor Zegras, who got some time down the middle late last season, is still an option to be tried at center in training camp.
In Other News...
Flyers Offseason Theory Around Michkov Misses The Bigger Question
A social-media theory picked up a little steam around the Flyers this week, with some fans wondering whether the clubs aggressive offer-sheet play for Leo Carlsson was really about creating a path to move on from Matvei Michkov. The chatter has no supporting evidence, but it did manage to turn one of the summers most eye-catching moves into a referendum on what Philadelphia is trying to build and who it values most.
What actually happened is simpler: the Ducks matched the Flyers offer sheet, and the whole episode ended without any player movement or compensation changing hands. More importantly for Philadelphia, there has been no reporting suggesting the team wants to trade Michkov, and management still appears to view him as a central piece of the rebuild rather than a name to dangle in some hidden deal. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Injury Crunch Could Pull A Familiar Flyer Into Focus
Edmontons training camp is already running into injury trouble, and the ripple effect could eventually shine a light on a few familiar names around the league. With Frederik Andersen, Alec Regula, Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark all set to miss camp, the Oilers may be forced to examine the free-agent market for help at a time when cap space is tight and depth matters more than ever.
Among the veterans being mentioned as possible fits is Luke Glendening, who spent part of last season in New Jersey and Philadelphia and gave the Flyers one goal in 10 playoff games. Adam Henrique is also being floated as another experienced option, but for now the situation remains more about possibilities than movement, with Edmonton still sorting through how it wants to patch the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Rebuild Is Finally Reaching The Franchises Next Big Test
The Flyers have spent the early stretch of this rebuild trying to turn broad intentions into everyday habits, with general manager Danny Briere and head coach Rick Tocchet pushing a message that development has to come before shortcuts. The focus is on young talent, stronger fundamentals and a roster that can start looking more connected in all three zones, even if the gains come slowly. There is a clear sense around the organization that this is about building something sustainable rather than chasing a fast fix.
The next test is whether that patient approach can start showing up in the areas that have long dragged the team down. Philadelphia is working to sharpen its defensive structure, improve lineup chemistry and get more out of a power play that has been a recurring problem for years. Briere and Tocchet keep stressing the long view, and what happens next will say plenty about whether the Flyers are finally moving past the era of patchwork solutions. [Read more 🡒]