Montreal Canadiens: Alexey Marchenko is an upgrade over Christian Folin

Folin relies more on physical play than Marchenko and will finish his checks and try to box out the opposition who tries to drive the crease. That’s not to say Marchenko doesn’t hit at all, he is known to be an aggressive defender but is more focused on blocking shots (77 on the season) and lanes while keeping up with his man.

Marchenko has the edge over Folin, be it a small one. His relationship with Romanov, although an off-ice advantage, is still an advantage nonetheless.

Unlike the other free agents NHL teams have signed, Marchenko has played in the NHL before. Therefore, he wouldn’t need to sign an entry-level deal to return as his rights with the Leafs expired after turning 27 last year. It’ll be a similar situation to Alexader Radulov returning to the NHL, and the signing team can approach it like Free Agent Frenzy and sign any deal.

Marchenko hasn’t shown enough to demand top dollar. He was on a two-year contract that carried a $1.45 million contract after his entry-level deal with the Detroit Red Wings expired. I could see the Montreal Canadiens giving him a similar deal to Folin in that $800,000 range – which is likely coming off the books as he’s a pending unrestricted free agent – with a slight raise if other teams are on the bargaining table.

If so, even a $1 million cap hit wouldn’t be too outrageous for Marchenko.

The Moscow native isn’t a player who moves the needle, but it could be a move that secures the team’s defence. And the friendship factor with Romanov isn’t one the Montreal Canadiens should take lightly.