Kirill Marchenko trade rumors just found new fuel, and the Edmonton Oilers are pushing them forward.
Local reporters linked the Oilers to Marchenko again this week, and the timing lines up with fresh injury trouble in Edmonton.
The Hockey Writers connected the dots this week between Edmonton's cap situation and two significant injuries on the roster.
"The Edmonton Oilers aren't necessarily looking to spend any of their remaining cap money this summer," the Hockey Writers reported.
"But with news that both Matt Savoie and Frederik Andersen will miss some time, they could look at opportunities to upgrade their top six and goaltending," the outlet added.
Edmonton Journal columnist David Staples has pushed this exact idea for months, and he didn't back off it this week.
"Marchenko would look awfully good on the Oil's first line," Staples wrote. "He's in the prime of his career."
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Oilers Linked to Kirill Marchenko as Injuries Fuel Trade Rumors
Staples even acknowledged the risk. "Yes, he might not want to sign long term here, but even on a short term trade the Oilers would have him this year and likely next year," he added.
The Athletic's Allan Mitchell has made a louder version of the same case, pushing GM Stan Bowman to get aggressive.
"For the Oilers, bringing in high-priced veterans is no longer a viable option," Mitchell wrote. "The team needs an impact player."
It's easy to see why Marchenko's name keeps surfacing. He posted 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points last season on a cap hit of just $3,850,000.
That's a massive return for the money, and it's exactly the kind of value a team hesitant to spend big would find attractive.
Marchenko is heading into the final year of his contract before restricted free agency arrives in July 2027, which adds real urgency to any decision.
Reports throughout the summer have suggested he isn't interested in a long-term extension in Columbus, and that's what's kept his name alive since draft weekend in June.
Columbus, for its part, hasn't been reported as actively shopping him. The Blue Jackets are under no real pressure to make this move.
A rumor tracker summed up the whole situation bluntly on Tuesday.
"Dylan Larkin is still a Detroit Red Wing. Connor Hellebuyck is still a Winnipeg Jet. Kirill Marchenko is still a Columbus Blue Jacket. Shane Wright is still a Seattle Kraken."
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That's the part that gets lost in these stories. Wanting a player and having a willing trade partner are two completely different problems.
It's the hockey equivalent of window shopping outside a store that isn't having a sale. Edmonton keeps looking, but nobody's confirmed Columbus is selling.
Training camp opens for both teams soon, and rosters have a way of freezing once games actually start. Whether this name still has legs by opening night is the only thing worth watching now.
Should the Oilers actually trade for Kirill Marchenko this summer?
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