Montreal Canadiens acquire Kirill Marchenko in 5-piece blockbuster trade proposal
Photo credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
The Montreal Canadiens have chased a top-six scoring winger all summer, and Kirill Marchenko keeps surfacing as the logical target.
A package of Kirby Dach, Alexander Zharovsky, Adam Engstrom and a second-round pick could give both clubs exactly what they need.
Why Columbus Should Say Yes
Don Waddell has said any Marchenko deal must help the Blue Jackets immediately, not simply add futures. Dach answers that call.
The 25-year-old is a 6-foot-4 right-handed center who signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract in July, and he has a chance to rebound after playing just 37 games last season.
The rest of the package protects Columbus long term. Zharovsky, selected 34th overall in 2025, broke the KHL's under-19 scoring record with 42 points in 59 games.
Engstrom is a mobile left-shot defenseman stuck behind a crowded Montreal blue line. Add the second-round pick, and that is real value for a winger who, according to ESPN's Kevin Weekes, is unlikely to sign an extension.
Why Montreal Wins Too
Marchenko posted 141 points over the past two seasons, including 74 in 2024-25 and 67 last year. Placing him alongside Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov would give the Canadiens the scoring depth a contender needs.
The cap fits as well. Dach's $3.6 million goes out and Marchenko's $3.85 million comes in, a difference of only $250,000.
Montreal also parts with assets it cannot easily use. Zharovsky remains under contract with Salavat Yulaev through 2026-27, and Engstrom is waiting for a spot on the left side of a packed defense.
Kent Hughes keeps Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson and the core intact while turning depth into a difference maker.
Sportsnaut
Sportsnaut
Is it realistic? Waddell has confirmed that teams have called about Marchenko, and Hughes holds the futures Columbus would want. Pierre McGuire has said he does not see the fit, and Waddell has insisted Marchenko will start the season in Columbus, so timing matters.
Still, a deal that returns an NHL center, elite prospects and a pick speaks directly to Waddell's stated demands. That makes this trade very possible.
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