Budding Columbus Blue Jackets star Kirill Marchenko claims that he has not received a worthy offer from his club and has yet to speak with the new general manager, Don Waddell. Given the circumstances, this would be the perfect time for the Philadelphia Flyers to prove opportunistic and add more young talent to their roster.
Marchenko, 24, piqued the interest of the hockey world during his rookie season in 2022-23 when he scored 21 goals, four assists, and 25 points in 59 regular season games with the Blue Jackets. Indeed, this is an unusual statistical split, especially for a rookie forward, but it showed Marchenko’s prowess as a shooter.
The young Russian built on that in his second NHL campaign last season, putting together a more complete profile of 23 goals, 19 assists, and 42 points in 78 games, but there appears to be a major gap between what Marchenko’s agent, Dan Milstein, wants to do, and what Waddell and Columbus want to do.
“That depends on the offer. I haven’t received any worthy offers yet, so I can’t say for sure,” Marchenko told Daria Tuboltseva. “Regarding deadline and money, things are progressing slowly. Maybe next week, there will be a more specific offer from the club. I’m considering both a long-term and a bridge contract, but I prefer the process to move faster.”
Marchenko’s arbitration hearing is slated to take place in Toronto, Ontario, on July 31.
Note that because Marchenko has elected arbitration, he cannot be the recipient of an offer sheet from the Flyers or any of the other NHL teams. And though it seems like Marchenko is more than happy to make an effort to reach an amicable solution, Columbus could end up paying dearly in price should Marchenko truly blow the doors off this season whilst playing on a short-term deal.
“I had mixed feelings about last season because there were some successful periods when I thought I was the best player in the league, but at the same time, there were periods when I couldn’t score in 20 games in a row, and there was no consistency,” Marchenko said of his game last season. “I can’t say the season was successful for me, but I also can’t call it a failure.”
As for a fit in Philadelphia, Marchenko has already managed to score 44 goals across his two NHL seasons, crossing the 20-goal threshold in each. Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, Joel Farabee, and Tyson Foerster each scored 20 or more goals for the Flyers last season, but no member of this quartet enjoyed a perfect season offensively.
Farabee ended his year with one goal in his last 14 games. Foerster, a rookie, finished his debut campaign with zero points in his last seven contests. Tippett failed to find the back of the net in his last five games, and though Konecny scored crucial goals against New Jersey and New York towards the very end of the season, he too endured a goalless streak that spanned six games.
The Flyers lost all six of those games.
While Marchenko won’t be the player who immediately remedies that, he’s a player who offers the Flyers many things. Fans have long lamented the fact that the team lacks a true sniper and a true power forward, and Marchenko, with his 6-foot-3, 190 pound frame combined with his speed and skill, could provide the Flyers with both.
Referring to the analytics chart above, Marchenko plays with all the elements that make him a fit with the Flyers and their style of play. He loves to shoot, especially on the rush, skates fast, shows a willingness to hit and forecheck, and shows the capability of setting up teammates for chances when needed. In-zone offense is a work in progress for Marchenko, but the same is true for the Flyers as a team, anyway.
Even without considering salary, the Flyers would almost assuredly have to part ways with a winger on their roster to acquire Marchenko, if for no reason other than the working logjam the organization has on both wings. The Flyers are likely to put both Ryan Ellis and Ryan Johansen on long-term injured reserve at the start of the season, so cap space is not a true factor, unless Danny Briere and the front office have other ideas for later in the year.
Nothing suggests a trade is imminent here, but Marchenko’s status is one worth monitoring, especially given his talents and potential fit on the Flyers’ roster. Plus, he’d be a worthy running mate for the incoming Matvei Michkov.
