Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was leading the Columbus Blue Jackets front office when the franchise selected Kirill Marchenko with the No. 49 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
Now, as Kekalainen searches for a star acquisition to wrap up an otherwise successful Sabres summer, he may once again look toward the offensively gifted winger.
RG's Daria Tuboltseva recently reported sources close to Marchenko believes a trade may be finalized in the "near future" following an offseason filled with rumors about the 26-year-old Russian's future.
"Kirill is essentially between two teams right now," a source told Tuboltseva. "The parties are now negotiating the terms of the trade."
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic poured a little cold water on the speculation, saying "there's nothing happening" imminently, but the longtime Blue Jackets insider added: "Not saying it can't change later this summer."
It's worth noting one of the clubs most consistently linked to Marchenko are the Montreal Canadiens, one of the Sabres' Atlantic Division rivals and the team that knocked the Blue and Gold out of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the second round.
That could create an extra sense of urgency from Buffalo's perspective as it attempts to remain ahead of the curve in an intense Eastern Conference arms race ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
The Sabres could certainly use another proven top-six scorer following the departure of Alex Tuch, who was sent to the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade deal after it became clear the impending unrestricted free agent wasn't going to re-sign with the organization.
Marchenko, who scored a career-high 31 goals for Columbus in 2024-25, would provide a significant boost in that regard after tallying 141 points in 155 games over the past two seasons.
Kirill Marchenko perfectly fits in the Buffalo Sabres' contention timeline
Although there's an appetite within the Sabres fanbase to see the franchise make some bold moves to begin seriously hunting a Stanley Cup title after finally ending a 14-year playoff drought, Kekalainen and Co. have been wise to remain a little cautious.
Given the strength of the conference (and the division), it simply doesn't make sense for Buffalo to begin narrowing its contention window at the moment.
The Sabres have just emerged from laughingstock status and Kekalainen has made it clear since taking over the front office in December that his main goal is building a sustainable winner. He wants to give the club several chances to chase down a championship, not just one or two.
That's why Buffalo hasn't rashly dealt away all of its top prospects for a couple aging veterans in the twilight of their careers.
If the Blue and Gold ultimately stand pat, thus entrusting young players like Zach Benson, Josh Doan, Jack Quinn, Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius to step up, so be it. Having one of the league's youngest rosters while still being a strong postseason contender is a promising position.
It's also why Marchenko makes a ton of sense as a trade target if Kekalainen does decide to make a splash before training camp gets underway in September.
The 6-foot-3 winger is in the midst of his prime years, and he should remain highly productive for at least a handful more years. He also carries a team-friendly $3.85 million salary-cap hit for next season and will remain a restricted free agent during the 2027 offseason.
Buffalo, which is set to have 16 forwards competing for 13 roster spots, also has plenty of NHL depth to use in a potential trade. That's important for Columbus, which hasn't shown interest in heading toward a renewed full-scale rebuild if it trades Marchenko.
So, at least on paper, there's seemingly a fit between the teams, especially since the Jackets have enough cap space ($14.5 million, per PuckPedia) to absorb an extra contract or two.
All told, it feels like Columbus is going to enter the new season with Marchenko on its roster unless a truly blockbuster offer comes along. There's no time pressure given the forward's RFA status. The team could then revisit trade options next offseason.
The Sabres are one of the few teams who seem like a terrific fit, however, and the Kekalainen connection adds to the intrigue if the Marchenko trade talks do pick up again before camp.
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