Kirill Marchenko has become one of the hottest names in the NHL rumor mill, with the Montreal Canadiens repeatedly surfacing as a potential destination. As trade chatter intensified once again and reports hinted that a blockbuster move could be taking shape, everyone had their eyes set on the potential move.
That momentum, however, came to an abrupt halt after a blunt response from Marchenko’s camp challenged the credibility of the latest speculation and completely turned the conversation on its head.
Dan Milstein Publicly Dismantles Canadiens Trade Rumours Targeting Marchenko
The latest speculation centered on a viral report claiming the Canadiens had already received permission from the Columbus Blue Jackets to negotiate a long-term extension with Marchenko before completing a trade.
The report spread quickly across social media, but it was shut down almost immediately by the person closest to the player.
Marchenko’s agent, Dan Milstein, responded directly on X with a sarcastic but unmistakable message: “Incredible reporting. Truly. The confidence here is doing a lot of heavy lifting, shame it’s not attached to anything real. But hey, the ‘likes’ don’t know that.”
His reply left little doubt about his position, dismissing the report as completely detached from reality while also taking aim at the growing trend of engagement-driven rumor accounts.
Milstein’s comments also aligned with reports from NHL insiders, who have maintained that Columbus has not entertained meaningful trade discussions involving Marchenko since earlier in the summer.
Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has remained consistent as well, publicly stating that he expects the talented winger to begin the upcoming season in Columbus despite the nonstop speculation surrounding his future.
That said, Milstein’s denial does not erase the broader interest in Marchenko. Multiple reports have continued to link both the Canadiens and the Utah Mammoth to the 25-year-old winger, particularly because uncertainty remains over whether he will commit to a long-term extension in Columbus.
These circumstances have kept rival teams engaged, even if the latest rumor proved to be nothing more than fiction.
It is easy to understand why Marchenko remains one of the league’s most intriguing trade targets. He followed his breakout 74-point campaign in 2024-25 with another productive season, recording 67 points in 76 games, while averaging 29 goals over his last two seasons. That level of production holds significant value for a player playing on a highly affordable $3.85 million contract.
Over his first 292 NHL games, he has totaled 102 goals and 208 points, becoming the first player in Blue Jackets history to score at least 20 goals in each of his first 4 NHL seasons.
These accomplishments ensure that his name will continue to surface in trade discussions, but any legitimate pursuit would require a substantial return.
KEEP READING: Canadiens Insider Breaks Silence on Latest Kirill Marchenko Trade Rumor
For now, the biggest development is not that interest in Marchenko has disappeared. Instead, it is that one of the loudest trade stories of the summer was publicly dismantled by his own agent, reminding everyone that not every viral report deserves to be treated as reality.
