Toronto Maple Leafs trade Matthew Knies to Blue Jackets for Kirill Marchenko
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday in a six-player trade centered on winger Matthew Knies. Marchenko immediately signed a six-year, $75 million extension with the Leafs, according to NHL.com.
The deal came together on the eve of the regular season and reshapes the top-six forward mix for both clubs.
Trade terms: Toronto Maple Leafs get Marchenko, Knies headlines return to Columbus
Toronto sent Knies along with forward Steven Lorentz, defenseman Emil Andrae and a 2027 second-round selection to Columbus, according to ESPN. In return, the Maple Leafs landed Marchenko, forward Miles Wood and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.
Kirill Marchenko, 26, had one year left on a contract paying $3.85 million and was headed for restricted free agency next summer. Instead, he signed a six-year extension worth $12.5 million annually that begins next season, according to his agent, Dan Milstein.
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported in June that Marchenko wanted a change of scenery, and Marchenko gave vague answers about his future when he reported to Blue Jackets camp. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported the deal was in place after Elliotte Friedman reported the Leafs were in “deep” talks for Marchenko, according to Bleacher Report. Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast that Montreal, the New York Islanders, Winnipeg, Boston and Vegas all had interest in Marchenko at various points.
Wood, 31, is entering his 12th NHL season and carries a $2.5 million cap hit through 2029. Merzlikins, 32, is in the final year of his deal at $5.4 million, with Columbus retaining 18% of his salary. He is currently out indefinitely after failing his training camp physical following August shoulder surgery.
What the trade means for both forward groups
Marchenko is expected to slot onto Toronto’s top line with center Auston Matthews, giving the Leafs a goal-scorer who led Columbus in goals in each of the past three seasons. He had 67 points on 40 assists and 27 goals in 2025-26, and posted 208 points in 292 career games with the Blue Jackets.
The Toronto Maple Leafs finished 16th in the league in goals per game last season and missed the playoffs, snapping a nine-year postseason streak, according to Bleacher Report. Marchenko scored 74 points in 2024-25, and adding a scorer of that caliber targets Toronto’s offensive shortfall.
For Columbus, Knies becomes the centerpiece of a rebuild. The 23-year-old power winger had a career-high 66 points, 23 goals and 43 assists, in 79 games last season and is signed through 2031 at a $7.75 million cap hit. Lorentz, 30, adds depth scoring on a deal running through 2028, and Andrae, 24, a defenseman Toronto had just acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers, gives the Blue Jackets another young piece on the back end.
Marchenko’s arrival and Knies’ history in Toronto
Drafted 49th overall by Columbus in 2018, Marchenko had 102 goals and 106 assists in his Blue Jackets career and finished second on the team in points last season. Knies, selected 57th overall by Toronto in 2021, had 160 points in 240 regular-season games with the Leafs and added 14 points in 27 playoff games. He had been the subject of trade speculation for at least two seasons before Monday’s deal.
The 2027 second-round pick going to Columbus originally belonged to Toronto via a March 6, 2026 trade with Seattle, and will be the later of Winnipeg’s or Columbus’ 2027 second-rounders.
What’s next for both teams
The Toronto Maple Leafs open the 2026-27 season at home against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. Merzlikins is out with the shoulder injury, and Max Domi is also out with a back injury for the opener.
The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, host Buffalo in their season opener Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
Reporting from ESPN, FOX Sports, NHL.com and Bleacher Report contributed to this story.
