Rumors swirling around the NY Islanders

After a long summer, the NY Islanders will be back on the ice today with the start of Rookie Camp. Though the roster is essentially set for this season, there is still an opportunity for Mathieu Darche to improve the lineup before opening night on Sept. 30.

In their search for a goal-scoring winger, Kirill Marchenko’s name has reappeared. On the 32 Thoughts podcast released this morning, Elliotte Friedman reports that the Islanders are “around that” regarding the Marchenko situation in Columbus.

Marchenko, 26, is in the final year of his contract with the Blue Jackets and has yet to sign an extension. With the Russian winger set to hit free agency, the Blue Jackets could look to deal Marchenko before risking losing him for nothing at the start of free agency.

Marchenko scored 27 goals last season and had a career high in 2024-25, recording 31 tallies and 76 points. The 6’3” winger could be the type of player Darche is willing to move some of his top prospects to acquire.

The Anaheim Ducks have placed veteran Chris Kreider on waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. Now that he has cleared waivers, the 35-year-old is free to sign with any team.

Losing Anders Lee to the Utah Mammoth in free agency, the Islanders go on without their best net-front presence. Like Lee, Kreider has made a career playing in front of the crease. Though he may have lost a step, Kreider still has the wheels to keep up in the rush with players like Mat Barzal and Matthew Schaefer.

While Kreider would fit within the Isles’ lineup, at this point in his career, he's likely looking to play for a contender or perhaps in his hometown with the Boston Bruins.

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