The excitement surrounding Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko has reached another level in Montreal.
With the Canadiens firmly among the teams interested in the 26-year-old winger, fans have wasted no time making their feelings known. Some are even taking matters into their own hands in an effort to push for a potential trade.
Canadiens Fans Rally Around Kirill Marchenko Trade Chase
Marchenko appears to be a perfect fit for what Montreal is looking for.
The Canadiens have been searching for a dynamic, prime-aged top-six winger who can consistently score goals. Marchenko fits that description after putting together back-to-back strong seasons in Columbus. He scored 31 goals and recorded 74 points in 2024-25 before following that up with 27 goals and 67 points in 76 games during the 2025-26 season.
The potential synergy of pairing Marchenko with 2024 top draft pick Ivan Demidov (and potentially prospect Alexander Zharovsky down the road) has energized the fanbase, who see Marchenko as the dynamic top-six scoring winger Montreal has lacked for years.
With the possibility of Marchenko joining the team becoming a popular topic, Canadiens fans have started getting creative.
The official r/Habs account on X posted that fans were already editing Marchenko’s Wikipedia page. A screenshot showed an entry describing the Russian forward as a player for the Montreal Canadiens.
That was not the only way fans tried to get involved.
Told there’s nothing happening with #CBJ on the Kirill Marchenko front, despite rumors out of Russia to the contrary.
Not saying it can’t change later this summer. But my understanding is #CBJ have not had calls on Marchenko since earlier this summer.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) July 26, 2026
Some Canadiens supporters began tagging Marchenko’s agent, Dan Milstein, and jokingly asking whether a trade to Montreal had already been finalized.
“Will Don call you when he has traded Marchenko to the Habs or will you get a text? Just doing a study for my high school communication course! Thank you for your service!” one fan wrote.
Instead of ignoring the speculation, Milstein added even more fuel to the fire with a playful response. “Can’t confirm or deny, but last I checked there were some pretty steep tariffs on exporting elite talent to or from Canada right now,” Milstein said.
The comment was clearly a joke about cross-border trade tariffs, but it quickly went viral among Canadiens fans and added even more intrigue to the growing Marchenko speculation.
Why Canadiens Fans Want Marchenko
Montreal is coming off an impressive 2025-26 season, during which the team reached the Eastern Conference Final.
With Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovský already leading a talented young core, fans believe Marchenko could be the missing piece in Montreal’s top six.
His goal-scoring ability would give the Canadiens another dangerous offensive weapon and create an exciting combination with Demidov.
Montreal is reportedly among the leading contenders for Marchenko, with Utah also believed to be heavily involved in the trade discussions.
The biggest question now is whether general manager Kent Hughes is willing to meet Columbus’ asking price. If Hughes can acquire Marchenko without seriously damaging Montreal’s prospect pool, Canadiens fans may soon get their wish.
For now, though, the fan base is doing everything it can to make sure the message is clear: Montreal wants Kirill Marchenko.
