Kirill Marchenko's fate has been sealed in Columbus, and teams are scrambling

"I don't think they're gonna do anything right now, I think the expectation is that he'll be here this season," Portzline said on the DLLS Stars Podcast, addressing the growing rumor mill around Marchenko's future.

The comments come after a chaotic stretch of conflicting reports. A source out of Russia had claimed Marchenko was "between two teams," reigniting speculation just as training camps approach.

But Portzline, who covers the Blue Jackets closely, says Columbus simply hasn't been fielding calls on its leading scorer since earlier in the summer.

General manager Don Waddell has repeatedly signaled he's building the Blue Jackets into a playoff team, not tearing one down.

Trading away a 26-year-old who has led the club in goals three seasons running would run counter to that plan.

Marchenko is also affordable, carrying a modest $3.85 million cap hit for the final year of his current deal.

The Canadiens were among the teams reportedly checking in on Marchenko earlier in the offseason, and Kent Hughes could certainly use another proven scoring winger for Montreal's top six.

But with Columbus showing no urgency to move him, the Habs may be stuck watching from a distance, at least for now.

Portzline also suggested Marchenko himself could play the leverage game once his contract expires, potentially waiting until after July 1 next summer before signing an extension, following a pattern several top restricted free agents used this offseason.

For now, all signs point to Marchenko opening the season in a Blue Jackets sweater.

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