Kirill Marchenko’s agent hints that big news is coming

Félix Forget
Kirill Marchenko’s agent hints that big news is coming
Credit: Capture d'écran | NHL.com

The Canadiens have had a busy day so far. Earlier today, the team reached agreements with Arber Xhekaj and Alex Newhook.

The former needed a contract for the 2026–27 season, while the latter decided to extend his stay in the city through 2031.

The Habs, in fact, have plenty of reasons to be satisfied with their day. But in the last few minutes, Kirill Marchenko's agent, Dan Milstein, sparked some buzz on X.

Milstein shared a GIF showing a teddy bear having its eyes gouged out. And usually, that's a sign that big news might be about to break.

And naturally, this raises the question of whether Marchenko—who has been heavily linked to the Habs for months—might be arriving in town soon.

It's worth noting that there are only a few hours left before the league's new collective bargaining agreement takes effect. This has accelerated negotiations in recent hours, particularly in the cases of Drake Batherson and Ryan Leonard.

Both players decided to sign eight-year contract extensions, which will no longer be possible after midnight.

And of course, one might wonder if Marchenko, who will become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2026–27 season, wants to take advantage of his last chance to sign an eight-year contract. If so, perhaps that will force all parties involved—Marchenko, the Blue Jackets, and whatever team he's traded to—to speed up negotiations on the deal.

Deadlines help move things along, you know…


Extension

It's worth noting that during his appearance on The Eye Test today, Marco D'Amico hinted that the Habs may not be done shopping yet. The way Chris Kreider's contract is structured—with performance bonuses that can be deferred to next year—might be a clue in that direction.

Stay tuned, then.

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