Yes, I know the season is already underway, but we still have a few more posts to finish our Top 25 Under 25 countdown. Thanks to the 74 readers who submitted ballots in this year’s ranking of Columbus Blue Jackets players and prospects under the age of 25
#2 Kirill Marchenko
Voting
2nd out of 42 eligible players
Writer Rank: 2nd
Reader Rank: 2nd
Highest Placement: 1st (8 votes)
Most Common Placement: 2nd (34 votes)
2023 Rank: 4th (+2)
Biography
Birthdate: July 21, 2000
Birthplace: Barnaul, Russia
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 197 lbs
Position: RW
Shoots: Right
Acquired: Drafted in the 2nd round (49th overall) in 2018
2023-24 Season
Marchenko finished third on the team in points last season with 42, but his goal total of 23 was good for first. Notably, he was one of only seven players who played at least 75 games. It was his most consistent campaign yet in terms of his nightly play, which feels like a win given that it was a poorly coached team where the lines changed on what seemed like a shift-to-shift basis.
His skill has always been evident, and the quality of his shot was known before he even reached the NHL, but last season, he emerged as a bona fide top-six winger. That seems in no small part related to the fact that the Russian line was the most used of all forward lines. To the fans’ delight, it was also the most entertaining.
2024-25 Outlook
I’m thankful this article was pushed back until after the season started. With the roster shakeup and new coaching staff, there were so many unknowns heading into the season. It seemed Marchenko was primed to have a big season, but no one knew how this team would come out of the gate.
It was clear early on that Marchenko was seen as the best fit for the top-line RW spot. However, it was initially supposed to be Jenner on the opposite wing. Due to the unfortunate injury to the captain, it ended up being fellow Russian Chinakhov. The results so far have been incredibly positive. Marchenko has 1-3-4 in the first 3 games, including a 3-point effort against Colorado. Currently, the Jackets’ first line leads the entire league in xGF% among forward lines with at least 30 minutes of ice time.
It doesn’t seem out of the question that Marchenko could hit 30 goals this season, especially if the team continues to play aggressive, structured, and fast-paced hockey. The power play has also been impressive so far, and it seems that those goals will start to come more frequently. The only thing that may hold Marchenko back is if Chinakhov or Monahan end up scoring all the goals.