The Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets are pushing hard on a blockbuster that would send Matthew Knies to Columbus and Kirill Marchenko to Toronto, but the deal is still not done.
Several insiders have now pointed to the same basic framework. David Pagnotta wrote, “Columbus/Toronto are indeed finalizing a trade involving Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko, per sources.”
Emily Kaplan added, “As the Leafs and Blue Jackets work on a Kirill Marchenko trade (as @FriedgeHNIC first reported), hearing Matthew Knies would go to Columbus. Also, sounds like the trade will only go through with Marchenko agreeing to an extension in Toronto - which is being worked on now.”
Pierre LeBrun reported, “The proposed Leafs-Blue Jackets trade involves multiple pieces, including Knies and Marchenko, and it’s not a done deal yet. Both teams still working through things. Plus Leafs negotiating with Marchenko’s agent Dan Milstein.”
Chris Johnston said, “Further to this: There are believed to be multiple players involved in the brewing #CBJ - #leafs trade to help with cap offset ahead of today’s 5 p.m. ET opening night roster deadline.
Plus the need for Toronto to get an extension in place with Kirill Marchenko.” James Mirtle also noted, “Knies makes almost exactly $4M more than Marchenko this season so making the money work will be part of this deal with both teams at the cap.
Merzlikins going on LTIR for season as part of trade makes sense.”
Marchenko has been a constant topic in trade chatter all summer, and the noise picked up after he told the media he didn’t want to sign long-term in Columbus. He’s coming off consecutive big seasons, putting up 31 goals and 74 points in 2024-25 and then 27 goals and 67 points in 2025-26.
Knies has been in the rumor mill too, even after Leafs GM John Chayka tried to cool things down. The 23-year-old winger is in the second year of a six-year deal carrying a $7.75 million AAV, and he has 67 goals and 160 points in 240 career games.
Elliotte Friedman has also indicated the Maple Leafs could get goaltender Elvis Merzlikins back if the trade gets completed. Columbus GM Don Waddell has made it clear he wants NHL scoring help in return, not picks or prospects, which lines up with Toronto building the offer around Knies instead of futures.
For now, the framework is still being worked through, and Marchenko’s camp is negotiating an extension with Toronto at the same time.
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With the NHL season opener closing in, the trade market around the Blue Jackets has picked up a little more intrigue, and Kirill Marchenko is part of the conversation. Montreal has emerged as the team linked to the winger, giving Columbus another name to monitor as clubs around the league sort through last-minute roster questions and try to find upgrades before the games start to count.
For Columbus, the timing matters because any move involving Marchenko would have to bring back help that actually fits the long-term picture, not just another body. The broader market has been moving in fits and starts, too, with Carolina's talks on defenseman Alexander Nikishin falling apart over contract issues and Edmonton still looking for a right-shot center, which only adds to the sense that one deal elsewhere could trigger a bigger ripple on the Jackets' side. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Face A Huge Kirill Marchenko Decision Amid Trade Talks
Trade chatter around Kirill Marchenko has quickly turned into one of the more consequential storylines facing Columbus, with the Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs still working through the framework of a deal. Marchenko has become the focal point because any move involving him is not just about the present roster, but also about what kind of commitment comes next for a team trying to build with some certainty.
Toronto has already been given permission to speak with Marchenkos agent about an extension, which gives the talks a different feel than a typical swap. Even so, no contract has been reached, and the two sides are still negotiating both the trade terms and the possibility of locking in Marchenko beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Face A Kirill Marchenko Dilemma They Can't Ignore
Don Waddell has not hidden the fact that other teams are asking about Kirill Marchenko, and that alone says plenty about where this has gone. The Blue Jackets winger remains disgruntled, but Columbus is also trying to keep its competitive footing, which makes this a tricky spot for a front office that cannot simply treat him like a long-term futures piece.
Waddells preference is for a hockey trade, the kind that brings immediate help back instead of a package built around picks or prospects. That stance makes sense if Columbus still sees Marchenko as someone who can help right away, but it also narrows the market at a time when the Jackets are trying to balance present needs with a tense situation that is not going away on its own. [Read more 🡒]