Kirill Marchenko’s (questionable) message to Don Waddell ahead of the season

Marc-Olivier Cook
Kirill Marchenko’s (questionable) message to Don Waddell ahead of the season
Credit: Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images

Kirill Marchenko's name was all over the rumor mill this summer.

And things haven't calmed down in recent days after it was reported that the player decided not to attend his team's golf tournament—even though he still has one year left on his current contract.

That said, Don Waddell seems to have wanted to calm the storm with his most recent statement about his forward.

According to Aaron Portzline, who covers the team in Columbus, Waddell said he met with Marchenko, who told him:

“I'm going to give it my all here.” — Kirill Marchenko

Hmm…

Marchenko didn't say he wanted to sign a long-term contract with the Blue Jackets.

He said he was going to give it his all on the ice… and one might also question the validity of those comments. Because there's a world in which Waddell is saying this just to protect his team now that training camp has started in Columbus.

If Waddell had said the opposite about his player, it would have created huge distractions for the Blue Jackets… and maybe they just wanted to avoid that in the end.

If Marchenko were still that committed to the Jackets, he would have been at the team's golf tournament… right? 

At least, that's the scenario I'm more inclined to believe. And that doesn't mean the player won't be traded just because we heard Waddell say that today. Quite the opposite, actually.

It just fuels the rumors…


Quick Notes

– Excuse me? Who is he?

– It's coming!

– Like.

– Okay.

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