When Do Prospects Become Trade Chips For The Islanders?
Kirill Marchenko's uncertain future in Columbus raises a bigger question: When should the Islanders trade elite prospects for proven NHL talent?
Come the end of the 2025-26 regular season, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko told general manager Don Waddell that he would not be signing long-term in Ohio.
Marchenko, 26, has one season left on his deal at $3.85 million annually and is coming off another outstanding campaign, scoring 27 goals and adding 40 assists for 67 points after posting career highs of 31 goals and 43 assists for 74 points in 2024-25.
While Marchenko doesn’t have trade protection, he effectively controls where he lands because any acquiring team will want assurances he’ll sign an extension — similar to what we saw last summer with former New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson.
Although Blue Jackets reporters have tried to quiet speculation surrounding a trade being imminent, others continue to suggest one could happen real soon. Naturally, fan bases around the league have already started putting together their best offers.
The asking price is reportedly astronomical, the same word that was used to describe the St. Louis Blues’ asking price for Robert Thomas.
Columbus isn’t looking to rebuild, at least not yet. Waddell wants NHL-ready talent, high-end prospects and premium draft picks in return. Whether a team meets that asking price remains to be seen.
But all of this Marchenko speculation got me thinking about something bigger.
At what point do prospects stop being untouchable?