Prospect Watch: Kirill Marchenko Has Arrived

Kirill Marchenko made the jump to North America this season, and is currently skating with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL). Arguably the top forward prospect in the system with Kent Johnson graduating from the list, Marchenko is playing like a man on a mission – and will likely see NHL ice at some point in the near future.

Originally selected in the second round (#49 overall) at the 2018 NHL Draft, Marchenko played out his contract in the KHL (Russia), before signing with the Blue Jackets this summer. A lot of people (including yours truly) thought he would be in the NHL to start the season, but a sluggish camp left him on the outside looking in. Instead, he’s doing pretty well with the Monsters:

Things often go one of two ways for highly touted prospects like this, once they are sent down. Sometimes they struggle with the mental side of things and don’t perform all that well. Or, as is the case with Marchenko, they use it as fuel to try to fight their way into the lineup. If his play early on is any indication, he’s going to win a call up soon rather than later.

Through the first 8 games of the AHL season, Marchenko has 5 goals and 9 points, tied with journeyman Brendan Gaunce for second on the team (behind Emil Bemstrom – 11pts). He has 22 shots on goal through those 8 games, which shows that it’s not just luck – he’s very involved in the offense.

That he’s adjusting to the North American game so quickly is encouraging, even if it’s in the AHL. The concerns the team had at camp were with his ability to play at an NHL pace, which is why he gets some extra seasoning with the Monsters. This is probably due to him playing so little hockey over the last year; once he refused to re-sign in Russia, his minutes were sliced drastically.

But the skill here is obvious; he has a great shot, excellent hands, and can score goals in a variety of ways. He’s a big kid (6-3, 190 pounds), who has good hockey sense, timing, and he’s a good passer as well. He doesn’t have the shot of someone like Yegor Chinakhov, or the passing skills of, say, Johnny Gaudreau; but he’s a good all-around offensive player who will fit nicely into the top-nine of the Blue Jackets very soon.

While it’s disappointing to see him not on the team, getting extra seasoning is often the difference between having a confident, determined prospect – rather than a player who is struggling to hold onto a spot with the big club. My guess is we’ll see Kirill in the NHL sometime soon. He looks really, really good.

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