The Kirill Marchenko situation in Columbus keeps hanging over the Blue Jackets, and the noise around a possible move is getting louder. He’s been at training camp and working hard, but the belief around the league is that he may not be around long term. Marchenko still hasn’t spoken directly about where his future lies, and that silence has only fueled the speculation.
Toronto has surfaced in the conversation as one of the teams to watch. Nick Kypreos recently pointed to the Maple Leafs, along with Edmonton and Montreal, as clubs that “seem poised to try and make something work with Columbus.” He also wrote that Marchenko “desperately wants out of Columbus,” and noted that the winger has no trade protection on his contract, which gives the Blue Jackets flexibility if they decide to move him.
The appeal is obvious. Marchenko is a 30-goal scorer, and the Leafs already have a dangerous offense.
Adding another scorer of that caliber would be a major swing. GM John Chayka, according to the reporting, is not shy about making a splash, and Marchenko fits that profile.
But this is where the deal gets tricky. Columbus does not want to move Marchenko if he’s willing to re-sign, and if he isn’t, they’ll be looking for the best possible return. That creates a different kind of pressure for Toronto, especially if the Blue Jackets want to stay competitive while also thinking about keeping Zach Werenski on the roster.
That’s why Kypreos’ mention of Matthew Knies is so interesting. He wrote:
“After rumours swirled about his availability last season, I’m keeping Knies as a player to watch because, aside from his size and speed, the greatest asset right now for Toronto is that there are no trade restrictions on Knies’ contract. The noise will not go away with a new season. Not many top-six forwards around the league are without any trade protection and if the Leafs are still looking to land a big fish, Knies is a candidate to go the other way.”
Knies and Marchenko both lack trade protection, and that matters here. So does the fact that new coach Jim Hiller hasn’t exactly been over the moon about Knies at camp.
He said, “I thought he was better tonight; wasn’t that dangerous… I think he has been okay; I wouldn’t say strongly one way or the other. I think there’s more there for sure.”
A straight-up Marchenko-for-Knies swap is not how Kypreos framed it, and for good reason. Marchenko is on a team-friendly deal now, but he’s also a serious offensive player. Knies brings value too, though his long-term contract at a cap hit of $7.75 million runs until 2031.
The bigger issue is what Marchenko could cost on his next deal. Depending on his production in 2026-27, the number could land in the $12-$13 million range per season.
That turns this into more than a player-for-player discussion. It becomes a contract equation, and one that could leave Toronto paying roughly $5 million more per season.
So if the Maple Leafs really are in on Marchenko, the cleaner path may not involve Knies at all, even if that would be the simplest version of the trade.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Hand Two Young Defensemen A Shot That Could Matter Fast
With the final preseason home game on tap against the Penguins, the Blue Jackets are giving a pair of young defensemen a real chance to show they belong. Columbus is mixing established NHL pieces Zach Werenski and Erik Gudbranson into the lineup while also getting extended looks at prospects Corson Ceulemans and Guillaume Richard, a setup that turns this exhibition into more than just one last tune-up.
For Ceulemans and Richard, the timing matters as much as the opponent. Pittsburgh is expected to dress a limited roster, but the bigger challenge is internal, with openings and uncertainty still hanging around the back end. Nights like this can carry extra weight when roster spots are still in play and every shift is part of the evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets No 7 Brings Back A Complicated Piece Of Team History
A familiar sweater number is back in the Columbus locker room, and it carries plenty of baggage. No. 7 has bounced through a long line of Blue Jackets over the years, from Deron Quint and John Moore to Gavin Bayreuther, with each stint adding a little more to the numbers odd little history in franchise memory. Even when the players themselves were only brief stops in Columbus, the jersey kept showing up in meaningful moments, trades, and roster reshuffling.
The list also includes names that hit harder for fans who have been around awhile, because No. 7 has often been tied to bigger turning points than the number on the back of the sweater suggests. Jack Johnsons arrival and later movement, Jeff Carters short stay, and Sean Kuralys recent run all left different kinds of marks, and the latest player to wear it is stepping into that lineage rather than just a clean slate. For a team that has spent years trying to stabilize its identity, even a jersey number can feel like a reminder of how much has changed, and how much history still lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Fantilli Deal Raises The Stakes For Columbus Fast
Adam Fantillis new deal gives the Blue Jackets one major summer item off the board, ending months of negotiations and locking up one of the franchises cornerstone young forwards for the long haul. Columbus landed the extra year of term it had been seeking, a sign of how important Fantilli has become to the organizations plans as it tries to turn its talent into something more durable.
The contract also puts an eye-opening price tag on potential, since Fantilli becomes the first NHL forward to clear the $10 million-a-year mark without having put together a 60-point season. For Columbus, that raises the stakes fast: the front office is paying for what it believes is coming, not just what has already shown up, and now the expectations around Fantilli will rise just as quickly. [Read more 🡒]