Kirill Marchenko is still with Columbus, but Martin St-Louis now has another reason to watch the trade market closely.
Marchenko's agent, Dan Milstein, responded publicly after a Canadiens fan joked about the winger being traded to Montreal.
Milstein said he couldn't reveal anything at this stage. He also warned that his client would be expensive, a message that immediately added fuel to the speculation.
The response doesn't confirm a trade, an offer or even direct negotiations with Montreal. But player agents rarely enter a specific fan discussion without knowing every word will be examined.
David Ettedgui has identified the Canadiens as a leading possibility for Marchenko. That places Montreal near the center of a file already drawing heavy attention.
Kent Hughes has been searching for more scoring in the top six. Marchenko fits that need, but Milstein's message suggests the cost won't stop with the trade return.
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Kirill Marchenko's agent may have revealed the Canadiens' next big move
Any acquiring team would need to consider Marchenko's next contract alongside the assets required to get him out of Columbus.
That can change the entire negotiation. A club may like the player but pull back if the extension demands squeeze future cap flexibility or affect another core contract.
For Montreal, the attraction is clear. Marchenko could give St-Louis another scoring winger and reduce the pressure on the current forward group to create every dangerous chance.
The Canadiens also have to avoid paying for the excitement surrounding the name. Columbus controls the player, while Milstein's public comment signals that his camp understands Marchenko's leverage.
Milstein has shown before that he's comfortable creating attention online. He revealed Ivan Demidov's Canadiens signing shortly before Montreal issued its official announcement.
That history makes this response difficult to dismiss completely. It may have been playful, but it also kept Montreal attached to Marchenko at a moment when trade speculation is accelerating.
Hughes now has to decide how far he's willing to go. The trade package must make sense, and the next contract can't become a problem before Marchenko plays a shift.
Nothing is completed yet. But Milstein's answer has pushed the Canadiens deeper into the conversation and made one point clear: landing Marchenko won't come cheaply.
Should Kent Hughes pay a major price for Kirill Marchenko?
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