Blue Jackets trade Marchenko to Maple Leafs as part of major 7-player deal

Columbus, Ohio (AP) — General manager Don Waddell traded Kirill Marchenko to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday as part of a significant seven-player deal, despite initially stating that the forward would be with the Blue Jackets for the start of the season. The Maple Leafs also acquired goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and left wing Miles Wood in the trade.

In return, the Blue Jackets received left wing Matthew Knies, defenseman Emil Andrae, center Steven Lorentz, and a conditional second-round draft pick for the 2027 NHL Draft. Marchenko, who was in the final year of his contract, agreed to a six-year, $75 million extension with the Maple Leafs. He informed the Columbus front office in June that he did not intend to sign an extension with the Blue Jackets.

While the situations with Marchenko and star defenseman Zach Werenski were different, Waddell emphasized that Marchenko would remain with the Blue Jackets when the season began. The 26-year-old Russian, a second-round pick in the 2018 draft, had never played an NHL game before 2022. Marchenko led the team in scoring for the past three seasons, tallying 27 goals and 67 points last season.

In acquiring Knies, the Blue Jackets will field one of the top two scoring lines. Knies had 66 points, including 23 goals, despite battling injuries last season. He is viewed as a top prospect and is expected to contribute significantly to the Blue Jackets' offense.