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No Doubt, The Kid Can Snipe - Jun. 26, 2023 – Vol. 76, Issue 14 - Ken Campbell
There must have been times this season where the Columbus Blue Jackets felt like a beer-league team that was shorthanded for its Sunday afternoon game because a bunch of guys got dragged off to the local bridal show. That’s what happens when you lose roughly one billion man-games to injury.
Of course, we jest. The Jackets actually lost 545 man-games due to injury in 2022-23, which somehow was second to the Montreal Canadiens. But make no mistake, the Blue Jackets were busted, and there was no quick Trey Fix-Wolansky to the situation. But there was a bright side to the fact there was some evil person out there pushing pins into Blue Jackets dolls. And that was represented by 22-year-old Kirill Marchenko, who joined the team in December and scored a bunch of goals. He also helped buoy a squad that was down in the dumps with his constant smile and positive attitude.
But the goals really helped. All told, Marchenko scored 21 times in 59 games to set a franchise record for rookie goals. Not even Rick Nash had that many in his first season. In part because Marchenko was so good and in part because Columbus was bereft of right wingers, Marchenko came up after dominating the AHL and, by the end of the season, was playing on the top line with center Boone Jenner and left winger Johnny Gaudreau.
“We thought he would have a really good chance of making our team right away, but he didn’t look quite ready in training camp,” said Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen. “He earned his call-up. We had the injuries, and there was a need for players, and he was the best player (in Cleveland) and never looked back after that.”
Well, that might be gilding the lily a little. Even though his former KHL club, SKA St. Petersburg, plays its home games on NHL-sized ice, there was an adjustment period. And the pace certainly took a little getting used to for Marchenko. “Here, it’s a lot of rushes, breakaway, breakaway. It’s fun,” said Marchenko earlier in the season. “More skating, backcheck, forecheck, more work without the puck. More skating, more power and go, go, go. The first games, I was skating, and I thought I’d die. Twenty seconds into a shift, I’d be like, ‘What happened?’ It’s crazy, but I like it.”
It’s safe to say Marchenko managed to make the adjustment. It’s also safe to say the young man can score goals. And for those who believe he feasted because he had one of the NHL’s premier playmakers setting him up, consider that Gaudreau assisted on only eight of Marchenko’s 21 goals this season, with five primary assists. Speaking of playmaking, well, that was a bit of an issue. Marchenko registered his first assist in his 30th game – after which he joked he should be considered a playmaker – and he put up just four helpers total. To put that into perspective, Leon Draisaitl also put up four assists. In one game. Twice. “I don’t know how I score goals, it’s funny for me,” Marchenko said. “I just go on the ice and it’s great. Now, I just think about the future and how I can play better.”
Kekalainen believes there is a more rounded player in there and everyone will see that as his career progresses. And that will not come at the expense of continuing to score goals. At the end of the year, Marchenko said he was pleased with 21 goals and getting the franchise’s rookie record, but he hardly seemed all that impressed with himself. He pointed out Alex Ovechkin scored 52 in his rookie season. That’s a ridiculously high bar to set for yourself, but Marchenko sees no reason why he can’t consistently be a 30- to 40-goal scorer in the NHL. The offense-starved Blue Jackets would love to see that happen. Whether it does, as far as Kekalainen is concerned, will have everything to do with what Marchenko is willing to do to improve. And the GM is encouraged by what he has seen.
I DON’T KNOW HOW I SCORE GOALS, IT’S FUNNY FOR ME. I JUST GO ON THE ICE AND IT’S GREAT– KIRILL MARCHENKO
“It’s up to him and the drive that he has to get better,” Kekalainen said. “And he’s a driven guy. He wants to get better and stronger, and that’s going to be a big thing for him. I think he understands that, which is great. When people recognize that you’re a good goal-scorer, you’re going to get noticed, and you’re going to get a lot more attention and better players playing against you. It’s going to be an even bigger test next season.”
There have been trying times in Ohio of late. The Blue Jackets have effectively been a non-playoff team four seasons in a row – the expanded bubble post-season in 2020 notwithstanding – and don’t look to be ready to seriously vie for a post-season spot anytime soon. What was worse, they screwed up their chances of winning the draft lottery by playing inspired hockey and pulling out a couple wins at season’s end. But with the likes of Marchenko and some better injury luck, there are better days ahead. “In a couple of years, a bad team can become the best team in the league,” Marchenko said. “It happens all the time. So I just keep working and help our team win games.”
