Summer Spotlight: Marchenko was a bright spot for Blue Jackets

Number: 86

Birth date: July 21, 2000 (age 23)

Birthplace:Barnaul, Russia

Height, Weight:6-3, 197

2022-23 Stats: 59 GP, 21-4-25

Contract:Signed through 2023-24 season (One year remaining until RFA status)

It's fair to say Kirill Marchenko was worth the wait.

The Blue Jackets drafted the Russian forward with the 49th overall pick in the second round of the 2018 draft because they thought he had game-breaking goal-scoring potential, but he didn't make it to Columbus until four years later.

As many young Russian players do, Marchenko spent his time developing in his home country, earning plenty of plaudits and filling up nets with SKA St. Petersburg, one of the traditional powers in the KHL.

Finally, though, the time came for him to report to North America for the 2022-23 season, and he didn't disappoint. After thoroughly dominating the AHL in a 16-game stint, Marchenko was promoted to the big club and was one of the bright spots of the season, posting a CBJ rookie record 21 goals on the campaign.

He looked to be having fun doing it, as there was no doubt who led the squad in smiles per game. Marchenko always seemed to be enjoying himself during his record-breaking season, and his personality was a breath of fresh air in a tumultuous campaign.

His game is no joke, though, as Marchenko boasts an excellent shot as well as underrated hockey sense, not to mention the willingness to get either himself or the puck to the net to make things happen.

"He's an awesome kid," Johnny Gaudreau said. "I love Marchy. He has a great sense of humor. Great teammate, awesome player. He has a great shot, but it's just his energy. He's always happy, always walking into the rink with a smile. That's contagious, even when you're having a tough year, team-wise."

And underneath that personality is a kid who not only loves the game but wants to be the best at it. While CBJ fans were enjoying watching Marchenko fill up the score sheet, he was often chastising himself for not scoring more often. And when asked near the end of the season about his imrpessive debut, he could only talk about wanting more.

"My goal, it's why I play hockey, is to be the best of the best," he said. "If I don't try, why play hockey?"

Top Moment of 2022-23

In a season that was so tough for so many, Marchenko was a true bright spot, and it's hard to pick just one moment that stands out. But at the same time, it's obvious that the answer should be his hat trick in a Jan. 7 home game against Carolina, just his 15th contest of his rookie season. Marchenko actually scored four goals in the game, as he tallied in the shootout against Antti Raanta after scoring two power-play goals in a span of 96 seconds in the second period and then added the hat trick goal early in the third as he beat Raanta with a quick shot. He became the sixth rookie in CBJ history with a hat trick and was the first rookie in the NHL last season to net one.

Marchenko's Top Highlights

Stat to Know

Looking back, it's still funny to see Marchenko's line and realize how unique his season truly was. Simply put, it's hard to score 21 goals and post only four assists in 59 games, and in fact it was a historic season in that regard. He was just the second player in the NHL's modern era to finish a campaign with at least 20 goals and as few as four assists, as Florida's Brandon Pirri posted a 22-2-24 stat line during the 2014-15 season. Marchenko had 17 more goals than assists, a total that has been surpassed by only Rick Nash (41 goals, 16 assists in 2003-04) in team history. Marchenko also became the only CBJ player in history to score at least 15 times in a season with less than 10 assists.

2023-24 Expectations

I feel like we have to be a bit cautious with Marchenko's expectations for this year, as we've seen young players often have ups and downs early in their NHL careers. At the same time, Marchenko has so many things you're looking for in a young goal scorer, from an excellent shot to a direct style of play to a tireless work ethic that often sees him be one of the last players on the ice at the end of practice. He may go through stretches of struggles, as anyone does, but at the end of the day, it's hard not to see him as a top-six winger who has the ability to top his goal scoring total from a season ago.

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