Kirill Marchenko: The best (realistic) option for providing better support to Ivan Demidov

Why is Kirill Marchenko an intriguing player for the Montreal Canadiens?

Because he has all the tools in his arsenal to provide immediate help to the Habs.

The Russian has great hands, a solid shot, spectacular speed… and at 26, he'd fit right in with the current Habs roster.

But where things could REALLY get interesting for the Habs is when you consider the impact Marchenko could have on a player like Ivan Demidov.

We keep saying that the young player needs to be surrounded by the right teammates. But the Habs haven't found him a new center (or a new winger) since the start of the summer… and that's a bit of a problem.

That said, Marchenko is shaping up to be the best (realistic) option on the market right now to help Demidov. And if you add to all that the fact that the two guys are good friends off the ice…

Kirill Marchenko is a HUGE fan of Ivan Demidov.

The Russian came up to me after the interview and said, “Tell Ivan to reply to my texts! He hasn't been doing it since I beat him at FIFA.”

Had a lot of fun with the Jackets' spectacular forward this morning.@TVASports pic.twitter.com/aHyBCIuZQJ

— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) March 26, 2026

Obviously, you can't say Marchenko would be THE best choice to play alongside Demidov.

Connor McDavid isn't dead, you know… hehe.

Seriously, though, when you look at the options still available on the free-agent market and the players available in the National Hockey League, you realize that Marchenko is truly one of a kind right now… and that he's the most realistic option for the Canadiens.

And knowing how talented he is, I can't help but get excited at the thought of seeing him play on Ivan Demidov's line.

overtime

A duo like that is dangerous for any team in the National League. And the beauty of it is that this duo would likely play on the second line in Montreal… while the Habs could also count on a top-notch first line (Caufield – Suzuki – Slafkovsky).

That would help the Canadiens take their game to the next level…