Despite the team stating he'd be with them to start the year, Columbus reportedly has a deal in place to trade Kirill Marchenko prior to the beginning of the season.
On July 2, Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell tried to shut down any potential Marchenko trade discussion, as he was adamant that the 25-year-old would be with the team to kick off the season and any talk of trade was pure speculation:
I've had discussions with [Marchenko's] agent, which we won't discuss right now, but Marchenko's going to be a Blue Jacket once the season starts.
Fast forward to three weeks later and suddenly Marchenko is not only on the block, but there's a serious chance he's traded. According to RG.org, sources close to Marchenko told them that a trade was being worked on, with the forward's camp well aware of the situation:
'Kirill is essentially between two teams right now,' a source close to the player told RG.org. 'The parties are now negotiating the terms of the trade.'
It sounds like either Waddell backpedaled on his previous comments after speaking with Marchenko's camp, or RG's sources don't have the complete story, but with the team retooling - it feels like the former.
Columbus is working on a deal to trade their best offensive forward
Marchenko, 25, was the Blue Jackets' best forward for the past two seasons, leading them in goals and only finishing behind superstar defenceman Zach Werenski in points.
In 2025-26 he put up 27 goals and 67 points in 76 games while adding a plus-7 and 23 powerplay points and in his young career already has 102 goals and 208 points in 292 games. At only $3.85-million he's also a very cheap forward for his level of production but with him being a free agent next summer, he's going to get a pay raise.
As an RFA, Columbus does have a bit of leverage though he is arbitration eligible and could ask for a much higher price than Columbus will offer - much like the Jet Greaves situation.
Columbus went through some big turnover this summer with losing their captain in Boone Jenner, and seem to be going through a retool as they didn't make any big splashes in free agency, though they did add Valeri Nichushkin and Conor Garland in trades with Colorado and Vancouver respectively.
Marchenko is the perfect target for the Maple Leafs though his price may be too high
Even if they were retooling, getting rid of a 25-year-old who has proven to have 30+ goal potential on a cheap contract is a bold move and Columbus may be hoping that someone overpays for the chance to add Marchenko.
That's a trap that the Maple Leafs can't fall into. We touched previously on why Marchenko is a great fit for Toronto given his position, age, and offensive potential.
But we also touched on the potential package, and if Columbus is aiming for youth on a budget then a realistic package could contain Easton Cowan and Ben Danford. Both fit into Columbus' retooling timeframe and Cowan has proven he can be an NHL talent now, with Danford not far behind in the AHL.
On top of that, Columbus may also be looking to add draft capital and after John Chayka and Toronto did so well to recoup lost assets and try and keep as many picks as possible - they can't risk going against the plan.
Plus, there's no guarantee that Marchenko will re-sign in Toronto as he could cash in on a strong contract year as the Maple Leafs mull their finances with Auston Matthews' contract coming up.
It would make sense to add Marchenko to the lineup from a hockey standpoint, but from a business and financial standpoint it might be too steep of a price to pay despite offering what the team needs.
Would you overpay for Kirill Marchenko if you had the chance to acquire him?
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Maple Leafs named a likely Erik Karlsson destination before 2026-27 season