We're very early in the NHL season, but I don't think people are talking about Kirill Marchenko enough. Through 15 games, he's off to an incredible start for the Blue Jackets; leading the way offensively with a tidy point-per-game average so far.
That pace has historically been a high bar for the Blue Jackets. Since coming into the league in 2000, they've only had 7 players exceed 70 points in a season. Marchenko is on pace for just the third 80-point season in franchise history, and he's doing it on a team that is struggling for offense as a whole.
The only two 80 point seasons - both by Artemi Panarin - came on Blue Jackets teams that made the playoffs. As such, he had a lot more help generating offense. This season, if Marchenko were to stay healthy and produce at this rate, he's on pace for 82 points, which would tie him for second most points in a season in franchise history.
He has a great center this season ...
Marchenko has been paired almost exclusively with Sean Monahan so far, which is what most of us expected prior to the season. They've been a perfect fit to this point, both willing to go in on the forecheck, compete the defensive side of the puck, and each with enough skill to drive play offensively.
Marchy makin' moves!
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) November 6, 2024
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The unfortunate circumstance here is that they could really use a strong puck distributor on the left wing. It's unfair that we'll never get to see Johnny Gaudreau on this line, because I think the trio would have been magical together this season.
Had he stayed healthy early on, Kent Johnson might have found his way into this role by now. But, such is the luck of the Blue Jackets: he's sitting on IR, with no immediate timetable for his return. So, the top line has seen a rotation of wingers on the other side; most frequently Yegor Chinakhov, who has looked good there, but head coach Dean Evason has moved up around the lineup to spread offense around.
Breaking out takes time, but patience is paying off...
It's been seven years since the Blue Jackets selected Marchenko in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft. He took his time developing in Russia, then came over as a mostly polished professional player. Even so, it's taken him three years to really gain his footing and become the player we all hoped he could be.
He's a top line winger whose advanced stats are even looking really good; with an xGF of 55.8%, and on-ice CORSI % of 60%, which is tied with Monahan for second on the team behind Chinakhov (62%). This shows that it hasn't all been luck; each of these three are having strong metrics on both sides of the puck.
Marchenko has done an excellent job tuning out the noise and just going to work so far this season. Quietly, he's becoming a superstar right in front of our eyes. He's factored in on roughly one third of the goals for the Blue Jackets this season. While the team struggles to score as a whole, he's getting it done at a level that could see him approaching franchise records this year.