"Let Waddell cook" "Poor guy": NHL fans react to Kirill Marchenko's re-signing with Blue Jackets for whopping $11.55M deal

On Sunday, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed winger Kirill Marchenko to a three-year, $11.55 million deal. The contract is worth an average of $3.85 million per year and the agreement avoids arbitration. The Blue Jackets announced the contract on X (formerly Twitter):

"MORE MARCHY MADNESS. We've signed RW Kirill Marchenko to a 3-year contract through the 2026-27 @NHL season!"

Following the announcement, several NHL fans reacted to it on X.

"LET WADDELL COOK" , one fan said.

"Poor guy," another fan commented.

"I don’t like the term. It takes him to UFA status. He could walk in 3 years," one X user said.

Take a look at some more reactions from NHL fans on X.

"Great to have him for 3 but we won’t be able to afford him after that. Would have loved to see a longer deal," one fan tweeted.

"Great news! Time to pull the trigger on that kirill sweater then," a fan commented.

"Good deal. I hoped they wouldn’t take it to arb," one fan said.

Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell’s statement after signing Kirill Marchenko for three years

Kirill Marchenko signed a three-year, $11.55 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was a restricted free agent and had an arbitration hearing scheduled for July 31. Both sides wanted to avoid the hearing.

General Manager Don Waddell said Marchenko is an important player for the team.

“Kirill Marchenko has been an important player for the Blue Jackets during his first two NHL seasons, and reaching an agreement to keep him in Columbus was important to us,” Blue Jackets GM Waddell said. “He has size, skill and the ability to score goals and will continue to be a big part of our core group moving forward.”

Marchenko, who turned 24 on July 21, set career highs last season. He scored 23 goals, 19 assists and 42 points in 78 games. Marchenko scored 21 goals as a rookie in the 2022-23 season. He has played 137 career games for Columbus, scoring 44 goals and totaling 67 points. He is the only Blue Jacket to score 20 goals in his first two NHL seasons.