Kirill Marchenko hints at wanting off of his team just days before the season.

This is not a great look for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It sounds very much like the Columbus Blue Jackets will be forced to make a trade sooner rather than later but, unfortunately for Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell, he will be trying to make this trade happen from a position of weakness.

Earlier this summer Kirill Marchenko effectively made a trade demand when his agent Dan Milstein made it clear that he did not intend to re-sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets, a decision that Marchenko all but confirmed himself this week. Marchenko was made available to members of the Blue Jackets media and he was immediately asked about the possibility of signing a new contract extension with the Blue Jackets.

Despite repeatedly being asked if he wanted to remain in Columbus, and about the comments previously made by his agent, Marchenko refused to directly answer that question.

"Guys I don't know.... its not my side, business side, it's on Don and them and they figure out everything," said Marchenko dodging the question.

The Blue Jackets media wasn't ready to let it go there and continued to press Marchenko on whether or not he wanted to play hockey in Columbus, with Marchenko again dodging the question.

"I want to play hockey," said Marchenko.

Marchenko also downplayed the idea that his current trajectory was a distraction in the Blue Jackets locker room, suggesting that, like him, the other players in that locker room are focused on hockey over business.

Throughout what felt very much like an interrogation I couldn't help but get the impression that Marchenko's time in Columbus may have already run out.

We are now just days out from the start of the season and it sounds like the Blue Jackets will have to enter the season with a plan to move forward without Marchenko in the very near future.