A month after Kirill Marchenko first surfaced in the rumor mill, the Columbus Blue Jackets right winger became a hot topic of recent speculation. Is a trade really close?
In late June, reports were claiming Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Kirill Marchenko didn't intend to sign a contract extension when eligible to do so next July.
Marchenko hadn't requested a trade, and Columbus GM Don Waddell insisted the 26-year-old scoring forward wouldn't be traded. Nevertheless, it was rumored the Montreal Canadiens were attempting to acquire him, with NHL insider Frank Seravalli claiming they were prepared to make a massive offer for him.
Nearly a month passed without any further mention of Marchenko or the Canadiens' supposed interest in him. However, on July 25, RG Media's Daria Tuboltseva reported a source close to the right winger claimed the Blue Jackets were negotiating terms for a trade that could "reshape the league's summer market."
Tuboltseva cited her colleague, Marco D'Amico, saying the Canadiens remained in the market for a scorer, and Marchenko was among the most attractive options on the market, depending on extension talks between the winger's camp and the acquiring club. D'Amico subsequently tweeted the Habs remained interested in Marchenko but could not say whether anything would materialize.
Nevertheless, there was frenzied speculation among Blue Jackets and Canadiens followers on social media over the weekend about what it would cost the Habs to land Marchenko.
However, Blue Jackets beat writers Aaron Portzline of The Athletic and Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reported Sunday there was nothing new to report about Marchenko despite Tuboltseva's report and the subsequent blizzard of rumors.
As for Waddell, Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reported the Blue Jackets GM refuted the story. He also indicated that Marchenko's agent, Dan Milstein, playfully interacted with fans about the rumors. Still, he did smack down a baseless rumor that the Canadiens were engaged in contract extension talks about his client.
Hedger noted that Waddell was focused on re-signing RFAs Jet Greaves, Cole Sillinger and Adam Fantilli since stamping out trade rumors involving Marchenko and Zach Werenski last month.
Greaves and Sillinger avoided arbitration by signing new contracts last week. Fantilli was ineligible for arbitration and remains unsigned, making him an enticing offer-sheet target if he's open to a proposal from a rival club.
Hedger noted it could cost $15 million to sign Fantilli, which would take up a huge chunk of their salary cap space beyond this season. He suggested it wouldn't leave much wiggle room to sign Marchenko and Werenski to long-term extensions.
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