The Montreal Canadiens have seen the rest of the league, particularly the Atlantic Division, be active over the last week in trades. For fans, they are waiting to see what the Canadiens might do to help their chances not only to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals but also to advance past that to the Stanley Cup.
There are certainly some big-name players reportedly available, but one that hasn't been connected much to the Montreal Canadiens has been Kirill Marchenko. However, Elliotte Friedman on The Fan Hockey Show on Thursday said he wouldn't be surprised if the Canadiens were after him.
"I think Montreal is a team that is really stealthily trying, like I wouldn't be surprised if they were a Marchenk team, for example," Friedman said.
Montreal Canadiens need a center but Kirill Marchenko checks a lot of boxes for the players they like
The Montreal Canadiens need another center for their second line, but those are hard to find in the league right now. The centers that are reportedly available either have massive contracts, like Elias Pettersson, or are older, like Vincent Trocheck.
Marchenko is a forward and not an answer at center, but would be an immediate upgrade for their Top 6. The former second-round pick just completed his fourth season in the NHL and has been a proven goal-scorer with 20 or more goals each season. This past season, he had 27 goals and 40 assists in 76 games.
He will be turning 26 years old next season and is entering the final year of his contract before becoming a restricted free agent next season.
For the Canadiens, it certainly will require a big trade package going back to Columbus, but with the fact that Zach Werenski is the subject of trade rumors, would a package of the first-round pick, David Reinbacher, and maybe Oliver Kapanen be enough to acquire Kirill Marchenko? The Canadiens certainly have the pieces to get a deal done if that is the direction they want to go.
Whether or not the Canadiens end up getting Marchenko, the big takeaway from Elliotte Friedman's quote is that Montreal is trying, even if they aren't involved in many rumors.
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