Kirill Marchenko has been at the center of quite a few rumors. It's worth noting, however, that Marchenko will be in the final year of his contract in 2026–27. The reporter believes that Marchenko's plan, at this point, is to wait until July 1 to gauge the market. He won't be a free agent, but he'll have leverage to secure a big contract with a team of his choosing. Although one might think that the Blue Jackets, in order to maximize his value, would likely prefer to trade him before that becomes a possibility.