Less than 24 hours before the 2026-27 NHL season opened, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets completed a six-player trade that sent Kirill Marchenko, forward Miles Wood and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to Toronto in exchange for forwards Matthew Knies and Steven Lorentz, defenseman Emil Andrae and a conditional 2027 second-round pick, according to ESPN. Columbus will retain 18% of Merzlikins’ salary, ESPN adds.
ESPN gives the Maple Leafs an A-. Toronto signed Marchenko to a six-year contract carrying a $12.5 million average annual value, providing cost certainty that the team valued over letting him play out his final restricted season at $3.85 million and then negotiating a new deal, according to ESPN. Marchenko’s career high is 31 goals, set in 2024-25, and some observers expect his totals to rise playing alongside Auston Matthews, ESPN reported.
The deal reshapes Toronto’s top-six forward group: ESPN notes a projected first line of Jack Roslovic, Auston Matthews and Marchenko, with William Nylander, John Tavares and rookie Gavin McKenna — the Penn State forward who was the first pick in the 2026 draft — forming the second line. ESPN also flagged questions about the cap implications of the move, pointing to Matthew Knies’ $7.75 million annual cap hit entering the second year of his six-year contract.
ESPN assigned the Blue Jackets a B+. Columbus acquired Knies, Steven Lorentz and Emil Andrae plus the conditional second-round pick while navigating the common front-office challenge of dealing a high-profile player, according to ESPN. The move gives Columbus multiple pieces and a draft asset in a deal finalized on Sept. 28.
ESPN noted other considerations for Toronto: Merzlikins is on injured reserve after offseason shoulder surgery and is in the final year of a deal worth $4.428 million, while Wood, who cleared waivers, provides depth up front. ESPN said it will continue to track and analyze major trades throughout the season.
