Report: ‘Good Chance’ Marchenko Still Lands With Canadiens

The Kirill Marchenko-to-Montreal rumors were hot earlier this summer, soon after word leaked about the Russian forward not being interested in sticking around Columbus after the final year of his contract this season. The buzz has been on and off ever since. Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell opened up on the whole affair this past week, and said he won't be pushed into any trade unless it's a trade that helps the Blue Jackets. 

But Tony Marinaro of The Sick Podcast has opened up the can of worms once again, insisting he believes there's a 'good chance' Marchenko still lands with the Canadiens. 

Dan (Milstein, Marchenko’s agent) knows just how much fun (Ivan) Demidov (another of his many Russian clients) had in Montreal & will have in Montreal. Dan knows that the Montreal Canadiens are positioning themselves to be perennial Stanley Cup contenders for the next decade. Demidov knows that. Demidov & Marchenko are friends...

Milstein and the Canadiens brass, they have a great relationship together with Kent Hughes & Jeff Gorton. And I think they are going to try to get him here, I really, really believe that. I think there’s a good chance that it's going to happen.

Jimmy Murphy, on the podcast with Marinaro, echoed those sentiments, insisting that Waddell's recent comments open the door for a deal. 

"To me, that's a move from what he was saying before. That's backing off where he was saying, 'We will not be trading Marchenko.'... All I'm saying is that little tidbit there, 'But if we're going to make a deal, it's going to be a deal that helps the Columbus Blue Jackets,' that, to me, is key there. That means he is now listening again. And from what I was told, teams have been calling non-stop... 

"All I know is the Montreal Canadiens have let it be known to him repeatedly, if and when you decide to really sit down with us, we're ready to go. We want this player. So, I really do think that between now and the end of the preseason, I'd say there's a strong chance that this really goes to the next level. I'm not saying he's going to get traded at this point, but I do think that the chances of the Canadiens acquiring this player are better than they were when we came out of the draft...

"I wonder if it's actually happening as we speak right now." 

The Habs are looking for another scorer, and some size, in their top-six, and the 6'3" Russian provides both. 

Marchenko, 26, has one year remaining on his current deal, at a $3.85 million cap hit. Terrific value for a player who notched 27 goals and 67 points last year. In four seasons with the Jackets, the Russian marksman has 102 goals in 292 games, with 208 points. The Habs, or any other acquiring team, will have to be prepared to pay up, not only with a big return package, but also with a massive raise for Marchenko on his next contract.