Maple Leafs Ship Matthew Knies to Blue Jackets for Kirill Marchenko in Multi-Player Trade
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired winger Kirill Marchenko, forward Miles Wood, and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for winger Matthew Knies, forward Steven Lorentz, defenseman Emil Andrae, and a conditional 2027 second-round draft pick.
The Maple Leafs signed Marchenko to a six-year, $75-million contract extension with an average annual value of $12.5 million. The Blue Jackets retain 18 percent of Merzlikin’s $5.4 million cap hit.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Who said blockbuster moves no longer happen on the eve of the regular season?
Columbus Blue Jackets trade winger Kirill Marchenko to the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL Images).
This is a significant move by both clubs. Marchenko was a fixture in the rumor mill over the summer after it was reported that he was unwilling to sign an extension with Columbus. Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell insisted that he wasn’t seeking draft picks and prospects for the 26-year-old winger, instead preferring a comparable scoring winger in return.
Waddell gets his wish with Knies. The 23-year-old power forward is in the second season of a seven-year contract with an affordable AAV of $7.75 million. He’s made steady progress in his three-season NHL career. Despite being hampered by a knee injury last season, he reached a career-high 66 points in 79 games. He’ll likely skate at left wing on the Blue Jackets’ first line alongside young center Adam Fantilli.
Meanwhile, Marchenko will take Knies’ former spot alongside Maple Leafs superstar center Auston Matthews. Unlike Knies’ physical net-front presence, Marchenko is a swift, offensively creative forward who had a career-best 74-point performance in 2024-25. His style could mesh well with Matthews’ game.
The rest of the players in this deal are mostly depth players being swapped for salary-cap reasons.
Merzlikins was formerly the Blue Jackets’ starting goaltender until losing that job last season to Jet Greaves. He’s sidelined indefinitely due to offseason shoulder surgery and will go on long-term injury reserve. Merzlikins is in the final season of his contract and is UFA-eligible next summer. Given his injury status, it’s unlikely he’ll suit up for the Leafs this season.
So what do you think of this deal? Let us know in the comments below.
Big trade win for CBJ IMHO
I clearly would never say that but realistically it’s a good fit and trade for both teams but I’m honestly curious why you would proclaim “big trade win for CBJ? You can’t get something good without giving something of good value back. But I’d love to hear it.
I’ll tell you why it’s great for both first ok? CBJ gets a solid young left shooting power forward, but not the bash type but more net front, dig out pucks, hard on the wall type that is strong and young with a ceiling as high as Marchenko is now just not as fast.
Leafs get a much needed right shot forward who stats show can drive a line, has elite speed and can be a steady 30 goal scorer that’s not a defensive liability.
Bold move by both GM’s. Both got exactly what they wanted and teams lacked. That move also looks like both Chayka and Sundin definitely share a vision and that vision seems to stem from Mats past team’s shortcomings and avoiding them at all costs.
Personally I can see why they did it and could simply come down to why wait for Knies to reach his potential (if he even gets there) and when/if he does won’t be any better than Marchenko is now when you have an aging core in it’s prime right now.
Ron
My reasoning is similar player not identical but both scoring power forwards. Knies a few less goals over last 2 years but
Signed with no trade protection at around 5 million less Toss in the 2nd rd pick and dump of a washed out goalie who if comes out of IR this year will be serious issues to leaf cap. The swap of 2 waved forwards is moot
The hope now – for Columbus – is that Knies knees hold up.
Could be good for both teams. Glad to put Marchenko’s trade saga to rest and not hear about it anymore. Now if something could be done with Hellebuyck and Larkin, that would be even better!
So the Leafs are paying a $5M premium for a player who is three years older and projects for 3 more goals scored in 26-7. Makes sense to me. 😀
Leafs signed him…ugh.. horrible deal.
Typical
Marchenko is 93 percentile in slating speed and a play driver with finish. Knies is not but I think he fits well with K.Johnson Fantilli and is going to look dirt cheap in a couple of years. Over term $25 m cost avoidance by Columbus that can be put to use elsewhere
Elvis has left the league
Just curious — if Merzlikins does stay on LTIR with the Leafs all season, is he effectively on LTIR with CBJ for the retained amount?
Yes
Thank you.
Sorry to see Marchenko and Wood go, but I really like the return. Makes me wonder what the Jackets first line will be since both Nichuskin and Knies prefer the left side. Johnson or Voronkov on the right side?
Waddell won GM of the year already.
Kudos to Waddell for getting a great return for a guy who wanted out.
I honestly don’t believe the trade improves the Leafs. They get a player with similar production who’s 2.5 years older and at a much higher cap hit.
Said Marchenko was being traded earlier today asap. Glad I was right.
The best player in this deal is Marchenko. He can drive a line and is responsible defensively. This should not be up for debate. In hockey the accepted conclusion is that the team that gets the best player wins the trade. I anticipate that Habs and Bruins fans who wanted this player will throw shade, while knowledgeable and unbiased hockey fans will likely have a similar perspective as mine.
If both still have similar production, CBJ won the trade because Knies has a bargain cap hit. Besides the fact they also got 2 players that are better than the other 2 they gave away.
Toronto has finally replaced the player who was responsible for this trade,and that s Mitch Marner. Leafs have a lot of new faces to mesh into their team! Happy for Knies he can just blend in Columbus and not get haunted by the Toronto press!
great deal for both teams
Marchenko didn’t want to sign an extension with Columbus. They were able to get in return a 1st line power forward signed for 5 more seasons after this.
I really thought the bruins were going to land this guy he would be have been upgrade on Zacha. I would like to know what they offered up and why Columbus turned them down.
Didn’t see this coming. Oh well looking forward to tonight got my bowl of buttered popcorn ready, ice cold Coors I’m ready to go baby.
Coors? You really drink that faux-beer?
Couldn’t have said it better, George. I bet that’s not the beer they ran out of during the World Cup in Beantown!
Curious deal.
Almost like the Leafs did it to be showy and flashy. I’m surprised they gave up on Knies who seemed like…a young power forward who is going to get better and better.
What does Wood have left in the tank?
Everyone forgets why the deal happened….Uncle Gary got his envelope. He made sure the Leafa magically got McKenna….this way they can afford to let Knies go back to the States. Huge win for Knies dollars and cents wize…that is lkle a 25-40% raise leaving Tor and heading to CBJ….super cheap living and taxes by comparison .. so rabid fans bigging you at dinner… yeah he will be happy…Leafs will be fine…until they play cap games next season
Waddell unloaded 2 problems that everybody thought he’d lose on and he pulled a Kevin Costner on Draft Day.
1 for 1 replaced Marchenko with a much cheaper, more physical goal scorer, Knies
Dumped Merzlinkins and his contract with 18% retained
1 for i Wood for Lorentz a saw off,
Got a small mobile D-man who actually looked decent in pre-season
Got a 2nd rd pick out of it.
I’m biased as I always wanted Knies and didn’t have much interest in Marchenko.
HF30, I’ll help you with your post from a fan of one of the teams involved…
1 for 1 swap is winger for winger, which as much as some people believe a winger can land you a top pairing defender or center are delusional since wingers usually and almost exclusively are for other wingers. Knies is a good player just over 2 years younger than Marchenko but can’t carry the puck, skate, shoot and drive a line like Marchenko can now. Another point in team construction, a lefty traded for a righty which the leafs desperately needed. If you’ve played defense, you’ll know how much easier it is to predict play when all forwards are left shooting so gaining a right shot helps. Also you all need to ask yourselves, if Marchenko would of wanted to resign in Columbus, do you think this trade would of ever happened and if you say no, you know who “won” this trade.
Both Wood and Merzlinkins look like potential trade chips at worse. I like what I saw from Wood as a bottom six player and wouldn’t mind seeing him on the team for fit if nothing else…and for the record a better bottom six player than Lorentz who I also liked despite his flaws.
*tongue firmly in cheek* the best part of this deal is how both the Burins and Habs loose out big time…the Bs losing a top pick watch it go bye bye, pushed to 2027 which might look like it now being a bottom third 1st round pick – that must suuuuuck… and the Habs, well both Knies and Marchenko where two players they were hoping to add and ending up losing out on both. 👏
I’m saying that the CBJ took an untenable situation and came up roses.
Sure they “had” to trade Marchenko, but who thought Waddell would dump Merzilkins in the process?
He held out for a quality player in return, and he not only got one, he’s younger, plays bigger and is cost controlled.
I fail to see how TML improved with this trade. Marchenko has scored 31/27 goals in the last two years compared to 29/23 goals for Knies during those two years. Marginally more goals, much less hits and block for $5M more.
Apparently both the Habs and Bruins pitched for Marchenko but weren’t willing to give up the calibre of players Waddell wanted.
If I’m a CBJ fan I’m overjoyed by the heist.
A hockey trade that looks to help both teams.
Back to the future.