Another Young Blue Jacket Gets His Deal: Kirill Marchenko

Kirill Marchenko, the 24-year-old Blue Jackets Right Winger, has a lot to celebrate tonight after inking a massive deal with the organization today. After Kent Johnson's deal of $5.4 Million over three seasons was announced yesterday, I and others expected a deal for Kirill Marchenko or Cole Sillinger to be announced soon. That said, I don't think anyone saw the payday coming for Kirill Marchenko. Over the next three seasons with the club, he will make an astonishing $11.55 Million. Some fans question why Don Waddell signed him for so much, but when you look at his numbers from this past season, his place here is sealed with a bow unless he wants out of Columbus. 

Kirill Marchenko played 78 games in the 2023-24 NHL Season, missing only 4 games. In that time, he scored 42 points for the Blue Jackets, including 23 goals and 19 assists. When you consider that he put up these numbers in just his second NHL season, that's a statement. It's a statemeent of 'I want ice time and I know how to use it.' The season before that, his first, he broke the rookie point record with 21, consisting of 21 goals and 4 assists. He managed this in just 58 games, leaving fans and sports writers wondering what could've been had he been able to appear in more games that season. He also dramaticall improeved his +/- this past season, going from a -23 in 2022-23 to a -5 in 2023-24. 

The renewed hope that we'll likely see at least three more seasons from Kirill Marchenko in a Columbus jersey is thrilling. To me, the bar of expectation he's set for himself is high, and it's clear the organizzation believes in his present and future. Congrats, 86, can't wait to see you in October! 

Go CBJ!     

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