It seems just like yesterday Kirill Marchenko was making his NHL debut for the Columbus Blue Jackets and setting franchise goal-scoring records.
As we get closer to the 2024-25 season, Marchenko is preparing for his third season in the league. The 2023-24 season might have been a bit tougher for the 23-year-old Russian as he and the rest of his teammates played under a brand-new coach.
Statistically speaking, Marchenko nearly doubled his rookie point totals.
In 2022-23, Marchenko burst onto the scene with 25 points (21 goals, four assists) in 59 games. Last season, Marchenko scored 42 points (23 goals, 19 assists) in 78 games.
And that's while undergoing a tough start to his season.
Marchenko notched three assists in his first two games but then didn't register a point until Nov. 2 when he scored his first goal of the season, coming off consecutive healthy scratches. That ignited a five-game point streak (three goals, two assists) and six points (four goals, two assists) in seven games.
The present future looks bright for Marchenko as he continues to acclimate his game to North America and the NHL. As he gets set to play under his third coach in three seasons, here are three questions regarding Marchenko ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
What Will His Contract Look Like?
Columbus has never gone to arbitration with a player. Jake Christiansen and Jet Greaves each signed contracts, avoiding arbitration. Marchenko is the only other Blue Jackets player with arbitration rights who remains unsigned.
The Athletic's Aaron Portzline shared the latest on Sunday, stating Marchenko and his agent, Dan Milstein, are pushing for a longer-term contract, and that has Waddell going to extensive lengths to carefully evaluate the person and player before handing over the money.
"I'm trying to get a good feel from everybody who’s been here," Waddell said. "Some guys you want to be careful about going long-term, right?"
In case you're worried, it doesn't seem like there are any negative characteristics regarding the person and player that is Marchenko.
"I haven't heard too many negatives, that's for sure," Waddell said.
The salary arbitration meeting is scheduled for July. 31 if the Blue Jackets and Marchenko are unable to agree to a deal before then.
So there's still plenty of time.
New Coach, New Year?
It's not often a player has a new coach for each season he's been in the NHL. That will be the case for Marchenko as he awaits his third bench boss in as many seasons.
According to Portzline, the Blue Jackets will have in-person interviews with two candidates this week as the coaching search hits the final stages.
Former head coaches, Dean Evason (dismissed by the Minnesota Wild last November) and Jay Woodcroft (dismissed by the Edmonton Oilers last November), are each in talks for the job in Columbus. Waddell has a third person on the back burner.
"We're only bringing in two," Waddell said. "I have a third (candidate) who’s kind of on hold right now, but we have the top two guys that we’d like to bring in in person."
Regardless of who it ends up being, one would expect Marchenko to only improve as a player and continue the point-producing totals he's registered in each of his first two seasons.
How the new coach implements his systems and sets his lines will provide plenty of fodder as to how everyone jells together with training camp two months away.
Whether it's continuing existing chemistry with Yegor Chinakhov and Dmitri Voronkov or playing alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Adam Fantilli, Marchenko should be a top-six fixture.
Continuing To Break Out?
In year one, Marchenko was third on the team with 21 goals. Last season, he led the team with 23 goals and finished third with 42 points.
Can Marchenko elevate his point total to 50 points this season? 60 points? Could Marchenko eclipse the 30-goal mark?
Marchenko averaged 13:04 a night last season and led the team with 2.06 GA/60 while 5v5 per Natural Stat Trick.
Under a veteran head coach, how will the Blue Jackets utilize their offensive weapons as young players continue to evolve, while the team understands mistakes will happen on both sides of the ice?
Things got a little too loose under Brad Larsen and Pascal Vincent tried setting a more accountable tone for his players with reduced ice time and benchings.
What will the theme be under the new coach and how will they get the best out of young players like Marchenko?
