As the Blue Jackets crumble amidst one of the most important offseasons in franchise history, I may be crazy for saying this: the player the team will really miss is not Zach Werenski. It's Kirill Marchenko.
After all, who can really blame Zach at this point in time? He's nearing the end of his prime, and his back has to be tired from carrying this team on it for the last two seasons. He's led the team in scoring, and it hasn't even been particularly close.
In fact, the only player even in his stratosphere has been Kirill Marchenko. Marchy has scored 58 goals and 141 points in 155 games over the last two seasons. Unlike Werenski, he's just entering the prime of his career. The hope was that he Kirill would be one of this team's core players for the foreseeable future.
Instead, as was reported at the worst possible time, it sounds like he's also unwilling to re-sign with the Blue Jackets. The thing that really stings here is, we don't even know why.
Marchenko was originally picked by the Blue Jackets in the second round of the draft, all the way back in 2018. The team was patient with him, allowing him to spend four years developing in his native Russia, before signing him to an entry level contract.
The moment he hit the ice in Columbus, he became a fan favorite. He is everything we have always wanted in a top line winger. He's big, physical, can score, and has an infectious personality that always leaves everyone around him smiling.
And now, he doesn't want to be a part of things here any more. The 25-year-old's agent Dan Millstein reportedly told Don Waddell just yesterday morning, that his client would not sign an extension with the Blue Jackets beyond next season.
There is no replacing Kirill Marchenko.
If you look within the Blue Jackets system, this is the one position where they can ill afford to lose a player. They have a strong young goaltender. They have great goaltending prospects. They have a good defense corps, even if it's not great with the imminent departure of Werenski.
But again, they have prospects coming, and a young Denton Mateychuk who could be ready to fill a larger role. They are pretty set down the middle, with Adam Fantilli (hopefully) signing an extension soon; and Charlie Coyle, Sean Monahan, and Isac Lundestrom all still on the roster. Don't forget Luca Del Bel Belluz waiting in the wings.
What they do not have: play driving wingers. Unless we think Kent Johnson can step into a top line role and produce a lot more; losing Kirill Marchenko could bolt this team back into another long, drawn-out rebuild. Even if Johnson does become that player, there will be a hole in this team's top six again. A massive one.
With all of that aside, I do wonder if this situation can be salvaged. Would the Jackets be comfortable punting this off until next summer? Marchenko is signed through the season, and Waddell did not go out and add Valeri Nichushkin as some sort of future filler piece.
Could the Russian's veteran presence help make Marchenko more comfortable here? Maybe. But, it's also possible that the team could want to avoid this kind of distraction, and just try to get whatever they can for him before the situation percolates too long.
If that happens, lets hope Waddell can work some magic and swing a hockey deal. Otherwise, we're headed back to the bottom. Who else would that force out? I shudder to even think about it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google