Breaking: Kirill Marchenko Agrees To Multi-Year Extension

Just over a week ago, Columbus Blue Jackets restricted free agent Kirill Marchenko complained that he hadn't received a "worthy" contract offer yet, and that he hadn't even spoken to new GM Don Waddell. It's been a quick turnaround, however, as Sunday morning, the two sides came to terms on a three-year contract extension.

MORE MARCHY MADNESS💥

We've signed RW Kirill Marchenko to a 3-year contract through the 2026-27 @NHL season!

📝 https://t.co/41Ljd2zFZP @RuoffMortgage | #CBJ pic.twitter.com/CuErZq87aG
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 28, 2024

The deal is worth $11.55 million, with a cap hit of $3.85M, and allows them to avoid an arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for Wednesday. Marchenko will be RFA at expiry, after the 2026-27 season.

The 24-year-old Russian has had a tremendous start to his NHL career, popping 21 goals in 59 games in his rookie season in 2022-23, then finding the twine 23 times, along with 19 assists for 42 points in 79 games this past year.

“Kirill Marchenko has been an important player for the Blue Jackets during his first two NHL seasons, and reaching an agreement to keep him in Columbus was important to us,” Waddell said. “He has size, skill and the ability to score goals and will continue to be a big part of our core group moving forward.”

Things didn't look like they'd go so smoothly just over a week ago, when Marchenko lamented, "I haven't received any worthy offers yet... things are progressing slowly". Waddell responded a couple of days later, saying that he was concerned about getting "burned" on a long-term deal.

But all's well that ends well, and the Blue Jackets maintain their perfect record, as they have never gone to arbitration with a player.