Oilers Should Trade for Blue Jackets’ Kirill Marchenko

The Edmonton Oilers recently re-signed pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy. This was a good piece of business as they locked down their third-line centre and right-shot, second-pair defenceman. They filled two holes, and now they need to add a top-six scoring winger. This free agent class is weak, so if they want to add an impactful winger, they must go the trade route.

There were numerous blockbuster deals on Tuesday (June 22) involving Simon Nemec, William Eklund, Bowen Byram, and Jordan Kyrou. Kyrou would have been a fantastic addition to the Oilers, but now they must pivot and join the trade party.

Oilers’ general manager Stan Bowman should get on the phone with Columbus Blue Jackets’ general manager Don Waddell and inquire about Kirill Marchenko. He’s a 6-foot-3, 201-pound, right-winger who would fit in seamlessly alongside Leon Draisaitl on the second line, or Connor McDavid on the top line. If the Oilers can add Marchenko, they would instantly become a legit Stanley Cup contender.

The Blue Jackets have missed the playoffs for the last six seasons, and Marchenko is due for an extension with a hefty raise. He’s entering the final season of his contract before becoming a restricted free agent (RFA) in July 2027. He could get moved this summer if Columbus feels like they can’t reach an agreement on an extension.

In this article, we take a look at a mock trade between the Oilers and Blue Jackets involving Marchenko. This is just a hypothetical idea, and there is no report connecting the two teams right now. The fit makes sense, and the Oilers should check in with Columbus regarding Marchenko. If he’s available, the Oilers should do everything possible to acquire him.

Oilers Need to Swing Big

The 2026-27 season is arguably the most important in franchise history, and the Oilers need to swing for the fences. Anything but a Stanley Cup is a failure. Not only is Marchenko a great player now, but he would lead Edmonton into the future. The Oilers need to get younger, and at just 25 years old, the Russian winger fits that bill. He also has an incredibly cheap cap hit of $3.85 million. At his age, and with the rising salary cap, the Oilers could ink him to a long-term extension if things work out.

Marchenko is a goalscorer. He has scored over 20 goals in each of his first four seasons, with his career high being 31 goals during the 2024-25 season. He has registered 102 goals and 208 points in 292 regular-season games. On top of that, he was a plus-29 in 2024-25 and a plus-7 last season, on two non-playoff teams, which is impressive. He had 27 goals and 67 points in 76 games last season, with six goals and 23 points occurring on the power play, and 17 goals at 5-on-5. The Oilers could use another right-shot option on the man advantage, replacing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He can play on the power play, while also providing quality production at even strength.

Oilers Land Marchenko, Blue Jackets Get Prospect & Picks

What would a potential Marchenko deal look like, and do the Oilers have the assets to make it happen? The cap space isn’t an issue given his team-friendly deal, so it’s just a matter of putting together a compelling offer. This deal likely starts with 22-year-old forward prospect Isaac Howard, and 21-year-old defenceman prospect Beau Akey, plus two first-round picks in 2028 and 2029. If that’s not enough, they could add the 52nd pick in the 2026 Draft, and either 19-year-olds Tommy Lafrenière or David Lewandowski.

While that’s a lot to give up, Marchenko is a fantastic young player on an exceptional contract. Any team will likely overpay for his services because the Blue Jackets are in no rush to move him. The Oilers need to do everything they can to land Marchenko and should sell their future in the process. They need to win now, so they shouldn’t care about trading away picks or prospects.

The only youngster they should keep in a potential trade is Matt Savoie, because he’s already a top-six player for this team, and that’s what Edmonton needs more of. Savoie should be the only untouchable. The Florida Panthers acquired Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators without giving up any rostered players, and Edmonton should do the same in this suggested deal.

What should Bowman give up to acquire Marchenko? Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL content throughout the offseason.