Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens Insider Believes Montreal Is Building a Real Case to Land 30-Goal Scorer

The rumors of Kirill Marchenko to the Montreal Canadiens won’t seem to go away. Is there anything there or just baseless trade talk?

by
NHL Trade Talk
September 2, 2026

He’s been linked to more than one team this summer, but speculation connecting Kirill Marchenko to the Montreal Canadiens isn’t going away. The latest report comes from podcast host Tony Marinaro and insider Jimmy Murphy, both of whom think it has real substance.

Appearing on The Sick Podcast, Marinaro laid out why he believes Montreal is positioning itself as a serious suitor. He included Tampa Bay, Florida, Buffalo and Montreal in the conversation. He believes all four teams will remain active in free agency and try to upgrade their rosters. Both Marinaro and Murphy believe that Marchenko (and eventually Zach Werenski) will look to move on and “get themselves out of there [Columbus].”

The rumours linking Kirill Marchenko to the #GoHabsGo are just not going away#thesickpodcast @TonyMarinaro @MurphysLaw74 pic.twitter.com/Q5Ti1kpkW8
— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) September 2, 2026

Is There A Link Between the Canadiens and Marchenko?

It was noted that Ivan Demidov shares an agent with Marchenko, Dan Milstein. According to Marinaro, Demidov has spoken highly of his time in Montreal, and the two players reportedly check in regularly. Marinaro also emphasized the strong relationship between Milstein and the Canadiens’ front office, suggesting that connection could matter if Marchenko ever becomes available.

Not everyone is convinced a deal is close, though. One source close to the situation said Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell has no intention of trading Marchenko. It’s going to take the winger asking out or saying that he’s unwilling to sign an extension for the Blue Jackets to actively shop him. He’s got this season to play out before he becomes a restricted free agent.

If the situation changes, expect the Canadiens to be first in line.

For now, and as reported by Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch, Waddell fully expects Marchenko to be with the Blue Jackets when training camp begins on Sept. 16.

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