The Montreal Canadiens haven't been able to make a move to upgrade their Top 6, and Kent Hughes's pursuit seemingly got a little tougher after an update from Blue Jackets' GM Don Waddell. One of the players that the Canadiens were reportedly trying to trade for was forward Kirill Marchenko, and even offered a trade that was described as 'borderline insane'.
Unfortunately, on Thursday, Waddell mentioned during his press conference that he has had conversations with Marchenko's agent and that he will be a member of the Blue Jackets to begin the season. That essentially ends any trade speculation and will force the Montreal Canadiens to once again pivot as they try to upgrade their forwards.
#CBJ GM Don Waddell on Kirill Marchenko: "I've had discussions with his agent, which we won't discuss right now, but Marchenko is going to be a Blue Jacket when the season starts."
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) July 2, 2026
While Marchenko might not be the center the Canadiens really need, they could also use an upgrade on the second line on the wing opposite Ivan Demidov. Marchenko certainly would have been that for Montreal, as he has 102 goals in 292 games over four seasons in Columbus.
Kent Hughes faces a drying trade market after latest Kirill Marchenko update
Kent Hughes recently talked about the frustration he is feeling this offseason as he tries to work out a trade to help this team. It wouldn't be surprising if Marchenko was one of the players he was frustrated over, especially if he made a more than fair trade offer.
After a few days of free agency, there are not many options out there among the unrestricted free agents that would improve their Top 6. The trade route was always the most likely avenue to get a deal done, and after the flurry of moves around the NHL Draft and the early part of free agency, that has slowed down as well.
The Canadiens are certainly going to continue to try to find a move, but that upgrade might not happen until much closer to training camp or even during the season.
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