Elliotte Friedman has put Kirill Marchenko on the Vegas Golden Knights’ radar, and the fit is hard to ignore.
On his 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman tied the Golden Knights to the Columbus Blue Jackets winger, while also listing the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets as teams that have or might have shown interest. According to the report, Boston made an offer at one point, though nothing else came out after that.
Marchenko has become an attractive name for a reason. He put up 27 goals and 40 assists last season, giving Columbus one of its most productive forwards. Over four NHL seasons, he has totaled 102 goals and 106 assists, with 24 goals and 39 assists coming on the power play.
The numbers only sharpen the appeal for Vegas. Marchenko carries a $3.85 million cap hit, is in the final year of his contract, and is set to become a restricted free agent next season. He’s 26 years old, stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 201 pounds, a profile that makes him a natural trade candidate.
For the Golden Knights, the question is less about whether Marchenko can help and more about where he fits. Vegas already has plenty of center options, so another name like Dylan Larkin wouldn’t address the same need. Connor Hellebuyck would make sense in net, but Marchenko brings something different: a first-line level winger who adds scoring depth without clogging the middle of the ice.
He offers a strong shot, real offensive upside and speed, and he can play either wing spot. That versatility matters, especially for a team trying to stay loaded on the edges. He’d still have to prove he can deliver against elite competition, but the Golden Knights have already seen how that kind of question can turn out with players like Mitch Marner in the playoffs last season.
For Kelly McCrimmon, the logic is simple: if Marchenko is available, the Golden Knights have every reason to keep pushing.
In Other News...
Adin Hill Just Made One Golden Knights Concern Much Harder To Ignore
The Golden Knights opened their first home preseason game with a 5-4 overtime comeback against the Utah Mammoth, a result that at least let them leave the night with some momentum. But the more revealing part of the evening may have been in net, where Adin Hills performance fell well short of what Vegas needs from someone expected to be in the mix behind Carter Hart.
Hill already has a contract extension in hand, and the organization is counting on him to compete for playing time after Hart led the club to the Stanley Cup Final last season. If Vegas is going to feel comfortable with its goaltending depth, though, nights like this only make the question harder to brush aside, because the concern is no longer just about form in one exhibition game but about how dependable Hill can be when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Three Golden Knights Still Have Something To Prove Before Final Cuts
With one preseason game left before the regular season starts, the Golden Knights are right on the edge of their final roster decisions. Cuts are expected to trim the group to 23 players, and the last tune-up now looms especially large for a handful of skaters who have already spent the exhibition slate under the microscope.
Adin Hill, Alexander Holtz and Rasmus Andersson have all been singled out as players with work still to do before the final call is made. Their preseason showings have put them in a spot where the closing game matters, and the pressure is no longer just about getting through camp, but about making sure the coaching staff has seen enough to keep them around. [Read more 🡒]
Trevor Connelly Is Giving The Golden Knights A Real Lineup Decision
Trevor Connelly is suddenly making the Golden Knights think a little harder about how they want to shape their opening-night group. Daily Faceoff projects the former first-round pick into the lineup, and the idea of him skating with Tomas Hertl and Victor Olofsson says plenty about how seriously his game is being viewed after a strong recent practice showing. For a young forward whose scoring track record in amateur and minor leagues has already drawn attention, this is the kind of camp momentum that can turn projection into opportunity.
Vegas has long valued lineup flexibility, and Connellys emergence adds another layer to that equation. If he stays in the conversation, the appeal goes beyond just finding a spot for a talented prospect. It could also mean placing him in a position where veteran mentorship helps accelerate his development, while giving the Golden Knights another option in a forward group that is still taking shape. The question now is less about whether Connelly has talent and more about how quickly the staff is willing to trust it. [Read more 🡒]