Kirill Marchenko is staying put, at least for the moment, and the Montreal Canadiens rumor just took a hit.
NHL Trade Alert posted Saturday that the Marchenko to Montreal chatter is currently squashed.
The account didn't stop there though. It went ahead and floated three hypothetical packages anyway, just for the fun of it.
That's the nature of these rumors. They die, they resurface, and the speculation keeps running even when the source says nothing is close.
Marchenko is coming off a season with 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points in 76 games, still on a $3,850,000 cap hit.
-
A contract that team-friendly is exactly why this name won't stop attaching itself to contenders looking for scoring.
Three imagined packages for a Marchenko blockbuster
The first hypothetical had Montreal sending forward Michael Hage plus two first round picks to Columbus.
The second swapped in prospect Vsevolod Zharovsky alongside Hage and a single first rounder instead of two.
The third option kept it lighter, pairing one roster forward with either David Reinbacher or Owen Pickford and a first round pick.
Reinbacher is still just 21, with only 2 games and 1 assist on his NHL ledger so far, carrying a cap hit of $918,333.
Would Columbus even entertain moving Marchenko for that kind of return? A team-friendly deal like his usually commands more than a single first rounder.
Montreal finished 48-24-10 for 106 points last season, sixth overall, the kind of team with both the prospects and the picks to actually get creative here.
Squashed rumors have a habit of coming back around once training camp gets closer, and this one still has plenty of runway left before opening night.
Would you trade Michael Hage and picks for Kirill Marchenko if you're the Canadiens?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Edmonton shocks fans with unexpected starting goalie announcement : Tristan Jarry looks like the guy to beat
