5 Trade Landing Spots for Kirill Marchenko Amid NHL Rumors

During the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft (June 26), ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported that winger Kirill Marchenko was unlikely to sign a contract extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Marchenko, 26, is slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1, 2027. He's in the final season of a three-year contract worth an average annual value of $3.9 million. Considering his value as one of the Blue Jackets' leading scorers, he's due for a significant raise on his next contract.

On July 2, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said Marchenko would be on the team to start the season. Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped the trade rumors, which landed the skillful winger at No. 2 on our NHL Trade Targets Big Board for August 2026.

Scoring forwards in the mid-twenties draw plenty of interest if they become available in the trade market. Waddell might not be dangling Marchenko now, but there's always a chance that a rival club pitches an offer too good to refuse.

As trade rumors continue to swirl, here's a look at five potential landing spots for Kirill Marchenko.

Buffalo Sabres

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After an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought, the Buffalo Sabres finally ended that miserable streak in 2025-26. They finished first in the Atlantic Division with 109 points, eliminated the Boston Bruins from the first round, and pushed the Montreal Canadiens to overtime in Game 7 before falling in the second round.

The pressure is on the Sabres to build on that promising momentum and emerge not just as a perennial playoff club but as a Stanley Cup contender. However, they're thinner at right wing after power forward Alex Tuch departed for the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade deal on June 26.

Michael DeRosa of The Hockey News noted that the Sabres attempted to sign Buffalo native Patrick Kane before he opted to return to the Chicago Blackhawks. DeRosa suggested Marchenko as a potential trade target, along with Alex DeBrincat of the Detroit Red Wings and Bryan Rust of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Sabres could draw on their deep pool of promising young forwards as trade bait if Marchenko becomes available. They could offer a package with Jack Quinn and Noah Östlund as part of the return, though the Jackets could prefer Zack Benson or Josh Doan in the deal.

Montréal Canadiens

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Soon after ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported Kirill Marchenko's reluctance to sign an extension, rumors emerged claiming the Montréal Canadiens were among the clubs interested in him. On June 26, NHL insider Frank Seravalli stated that the Canadiens were prepared to make a massive offer for Marchenko.

A month later, RG Media's Daria Tuboltseva cited a source claiming the Jackets were working on trading Marchenko. She also noted that her colleague, Marco D'Amico, had previously indicated that the Canadiens remained interested in the Blue Jackets forward.

That offer has yet to materialize, while Blue Jackets management refuted Tuboltseva's report. Nevertheless, the Canadiens' need for a scoring forward to play on their second line alongside budding star Ivan Demidov continues to link them to Marchenko.

If Marchenko becomes available, the Canadiens would have to pay a high price. Stu Cowan and Herb Zurkowsky of The Montreal Gazette believe it could cost them a top prospect such as Michael Hage or Alexander Zharovsky, a first-round pick, and another player or prospect.

Ottawa Senators

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Having traded away left wing Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers in June, the Ottawa Senators wasted little time attempting to bolster their offense. General manager Steve Staios soon acquired wingers William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks and Andre Burakovsky from the Chicago Blackhawks.

On July 22, Staios told Callum Fraser of the Ottawa Sun that he could make a "secondary push" for more offseason moves. He admitted there was still room for improvement, such as the need for a pure sniper.

Kirill Marchenko could be someone that Staios might target to fill that sniper role. On July 29, Graeme Nichols of The Hockey News proposed the Blue Jackets winger as a trade option, suggesting he could have an impact similar to that of Senators' winger Drake Batherson.

Staios mentioned the Senators' roster depth, its salary-cap flexibility, and its draft assets and prospects as the club's strengths. However, it could cost them a promising player like Ridly Grieg and a top prospect, such as defenseman Carter Yakemchuk, to pry Marchenko away from the Blue Jackets.

Seattle Kraken

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Scoring goals has been an ongoing issue for the Seattle Kraken. Since their debut season in 2021-22, their 2.89 goals-per-game average ranks 27th overall. It's been a significant reason why they've only made the playoffs once during that stretch.

The Kraken attempted to make a big splash in the trade market last season. However, their efforts to acquire Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers in February and Jason Robertson from the Dallas Stars in June fell through because neither player would agree to sign contract extensions with them.

Kirill Marchenko isn't on the same level of stardom as Panarin and Robertson, but he would provide a boost to the Kraken's scoring. Unlike Panarin and Robertson, he might be willing to sign an extension with them.

The Kraken's efforts to trade Shane Wright landed the 22-year-old two-way center at No. 3 on our August NHL Trade Targets Big Board. If the Blue Jackets end up peddling Marchenko, perhaps including Wright in a package deal along with a first-round pick or a prospect could get a deal done.

Utah Mammoth

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When the (since-refuted) rumor claiming the Blue Jackets were attempting to trade Kirill Marchenko emerged, the Utah Mammoth were suggested as a destination by hockey insider David Ettedgui. While there's been nothing further suggesting he could be traded, Marchenko to the Mammoth could be an intriguing move.

Since Bill Armstrong took over as general manager in 2021, the Mammoth have rebuilt their roster predominantly with players they drafted and developed. However, in recent years, Armstrong has also made moves to acquire veteran talent who would mesh well with their young core.

The Mammoth acquired 33-year-old forward Vincent Trocheck from the New York Rangers last month. He's a center who could also slide into the right-wing position, but adding a scoring winger like Marchenko would enable the Mammoth to use Trocheck at his natural position.

Stocked with good young talent and promising prospects, the Mammoth has what it takes to make a competitive bid. They could pitch a package with Barrett Hayton and Dmitri Simashev, but the Jackets may prefer a top prospect such as Tij Iginla or Caleb Desnoyers in the deal.

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