Speculation: Armchair GM - 2026 CBJ Offseason Roster Moves, Rumors, and Discussion

[Crede777]

The shitty part is even if they wanted to stay, I'm not sure we could fit Fantilli, Z, and Marchenko in the current cap situation.

Not that they all will want to, we just couldn't if we tried I feel like.

They can keep all 3 if they're willing to stay, even without them taking a pay cut.

The Jackets would be forced to move some other pieces and may have to pay to do so. But that's a common occurrence for every team.

 

[Banana duck]

Dang. So we aren’t getting Dach and a 4th?

 

[Indy18]

Habs fans earned the achievement “I fell for it again award”

Hook, Line and Sinker by a notorious troll

It was obvious if Marchenko would get traded it was going to severely hurt because we need to make the playoffs this year and we were not going to intentionally get weaker because someone got their feelings hurt. Also a RFA is not a NMC they don’t get “2 preferred destinations in mind”

 

[KJ Dangler]

Milstein isn’t doing this without Krill’s ok … really makes Krill look like a poor teammate . Have to give Don kudos for how he’s handled this offseason .. lining up the Harley -Borque trade and ultimately making Zach relent … added some key upgrades in Choo Choo and Lomberg.. signed Jet and Sillinger for right around 10 mill .. and just flat out said Krill will be here in the fall . Nice to have a competent front office for once .

 

[WannabeFinn]

Milstein isn’t doing this without Krill’s ok … really makes Krill look like a poor teammate . Have to give Don kudos for how he’s handled this offseason .. lining up the Harley -Borque trade and ultimately making Zach relent … added some key upgrades in Choo Choo and Lomberg.. signed Jet and Sillinger for right around 10 mill .. and just flat out said Krill will be here in the fall . Nice to have a competent front office for once .

I’m sorry, but did you just label Lomberg a key upgrade? In what world?

 

[Indy18]

If theres a god that'll happen

*taps sign

That trade thread is getting extremely salty by hab fans (we just like to discuss trade rumors and possibilities…it must be tiring to always be right)

They legit got burned and pouting like a child in public it’s beautiful

 

[Fro]

Milstein isn’t doing this without Krill’s ok … really makes Krill look like a poor teammate . Have to give Don kudos for how he’s handled this offseason .. lining up the Harley -Borque trade and ultimately making Zach relent … added some key upgrades in Choo Choo and Lomberg.. signed Jet and Sillinger for right around 10 mill .. and just flat out said Krill will be here in the fall . Nice to have a competent front office for once .

I see a scenario where Milstein, being the greedy agent he is, tells Kirill... let's stir the pot, drum up some internet interest...it'll lead to you getting a bigger contract and lead to bigger opportunities

And Kirill falling for it

 

[NotCommitted]

Marchenko to Montreal doesn't make any sense anyway, I just don't see a trade there. Montreal has Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf and Demidov locked up long term with really good contracts. Suzuki obviously would be off the table in any case, but why would they ship out one of their best players on a < 10m AAV deal in the current cap climate, doesn't make any sense. It would have to be some 3d chess move including a 3rd team. Like I could imagine them dangling Caufield despite the great contract if they saw the return as something that increases their chances to win now. But to me it seems what they really need is not Marchenko but a 2C that's ready to go.

Any "crazy offer" by them I bet would be something like Kapanen + keep adding picks until DW must at least consider it simply because of the value coming back, even though it would make the team worse for next season unless there's further trades.

 

[Crede777]

I’m sorry, but did you just label Lomberg a key upgrade? In what world?

I think Lomberg adds an important element to the CBJ roster that was frankly lacking last year and would be this year especially in light of Marchment's departure.

Columbus was 31st out of 32 teams when it came to the number powerplays last year. I think they could do more to try and draw penalties.

 

[Indy18]

Marchenko to Montreal doesn't make any sense anyway, I just don't see a trade there. Montreal has Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf and Demidov locked up long term with really good contracts. Suzuki obviously would be off the table in any case, but why would they ship out one of their best players on a < 10m AAV deal in the current cap climate, doesn't make any sense. It would have to be some 3d chess move including a 3rd team. Like I could imagine them dangling Caufield despite the great contract if they saw the return as something that increases their chances to win now. But to me it seems what they really need is not Marchenko but a 2C that's ready to go.

Any "crazy offer" by them I bet would be something like Kapanen + keep adding picks until DW must at least consider it simply because of the value coming back, even though it would make the team worse for next season unless there's further trades.

I always thought the crazy offer was Caufield and reinbacker. Waddell wouldn’t let Marchy go unless he got a right handed shot back and Caufield has the Johnny thing going on.

After you get over the initial reaction it makes sense. Caufield is a small guy and the thing the Habs don’t want to say out loud is their playoff success came from their bottom 6 this season and their top 6, which is what’s going to “bring them multiple cups” was somewhat invisible. They need more size. They might look good in the regualar season but size and space sure matters in the playoffs than it does during the season

 

[MissADD]

I’m sorry, but did you just label Lomberg a key upgrade? In what world?

He should help improve the PK. Obviously don't know if he will, but that's why he was brought in. So I don't fall peoples calling him a key upgrade considering he was brought in specifically to fix one of the weakest parts of the team last year.

 

[CBJW]

Blue Jackets president/general manager Don Waddell has refuted the report, saying it's been "weeks" since he's spoken with any general managers about Marchenko, whose agent, Dan Milstein, didn't reply to a text message from The Dispatch.

Milstein, however, has playfully interacted with fans about the report on Twitter/X.Quoting a fan who asked whether Milstein would be informed of a trade “to the Habs [Canadiens]” through a call or text message from Waddell, Milstein replied: “Can’t confirm or deny, but last I checked there were some pretty steep tariffs on exporting talent to or from Canada right now …”Milstein also replied to three other posts by fans, including a comment stating that, “replying to fans is still allowed under the CBA.”
None of Milstein’s posts dispel the report about a Marchenko trade, but neither Sportsnet, TSN nor ESPN have confirmed it and The Athletic refuted it July 26 in a Twitter/X post. The report was written by Daria Tuboltseva, who is based in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and has experience covering Russian hockey stars and athletes while they train during the offseason.

She has previously garnered exclusive interviews with former Blue Jackets stars Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin along with Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.

 

[Indy18]

He should help improve the PK. Obviously don't know if he will, but that's why he was brought in. So I don't fall peoples calling him a key upgrade considering he was brought in specifically to fix one of the weakest parts of the team last year.

You can pretty much sum up our transactions by saying “PK is a priority this year”

 

[Indy18]

Habs fell for a troll engagement farming.

The jokes write themselves at this point

 

[NotCommitted]

I always thought the crazy offer was Caufield and reinbacker. Waddell wouldn’t let Marchy go unless he got a right handed shot back and Caufield has the Johnny thing going on.

After you get over the initial reaction it makes sense. Caufield is a small guy and the thing the Habs don’t want to say out loud is their playoff success came from their bottom 6 this season and their top 6, which is what’s going to “bring them multiple cups” was somewhat invisible. They need more size. They might look good in the regualar season but size and space sure matters in the playoffs than it does during the season

Yeah exactly my reasoning why I thought they might be willing to move on from Caufield, he was like the worst 50 goal scorer I've ever seen in the playoffs (or something like that), but he's still a 50 goal scorer with a <8m AAV who had 6 goals and 13 points in 19 games in the playoffs despite being kind of bad.

I guess the cap going up and having so many guys on good deals (including Hutson I didn't mention on my last post) could mean they could afford to move a great contract if they feel it makes their odds for playoff success better.

 

[KJ Dangler]

I’m sorry, but did you just label Lomberg a key upgrade? In what world?

Speed, Penalty Killing , Playing physical.. the things stats don’t necessarily capture , but change a game

 

[MissADD]

I know this is just a random account, so I'm not reporting this as fact or as something that's in the works, nothing close to any of that I'm just sharing it because I 100% support it happening

 

[Banana duck]

I’m sorry, but did you just label Lomberg a key upgrade? In what world?

Maybe not key, but the team absolutely falls apart when Olivier isn’t in the lineup. Someone else being willing to take punches lets him not take as many.

 

[Banana duck]

I know this is just a random account, so I'm not reporting this as fact or as something that's in the works, nothing close to any of that I'm just sharing it because I 100% support it happening

Please offer sheet him this. Please please.

 

[Indy18]

I know this is just a random account, so I'm not reporting this as fact or as something that's in the works, nothing close to any of that I'm just sharing it because I 100% support it happening

This is why social media was a mistake...

And its just not the Habs fans we had our own special idiots who suggested Laine take a unique approach to a retirement

 

[GoJackets1]

I know this is just a random account, so I'm not reporting this as fact or as something that's in the works, nothing close to any of that I'm just sharing it because I 100% support it happening

Oh no, 7x$9m??? What will we do?!?

 

[KJ Dangler]

Maybe not key, but the team absolutely falls apart when Olivier isn’t in the lineup. Someone else being willing to take punches lets him not take as many.

Bowness also wants to forecheck at a relentless pace

 

[Cornbread99]

I think Lomberg adds an important element to the CBJ roster that was frankly lacking last year and would be this year especially in light of Marchment's departure.

Columbus was 31st out of 32 teams when it came to the number powerplays last year. I think they could do more to try and draw penalties.

Control the puck and you will draw more penalties.