If the Kirill Marchenko chase stalls out, the Maple Leafs may not need to look far for a fallback. Washington’s crowded wing room offers Toronto a different path, and one that could be a lot more realistic.
Marchenko has been a name to watch all summer after reports suggested the Columbus Blue Jackets were exploring a move because they couldn’t lock him into a long-term extension. That chatter came back around when several teams were said to be asking Columbus what it would take to land him, with the Maple Leafs among the clubs in the mix.
The problem is simple: Marchenko would help, but he would also come at a steep cost in money and assets. Toronto may find itself priced out while other teams are better positioned to make a serious run. That’s where Washington enters the picture.
The Capitals have built one of the deepest winger groups in the league, and they only got more loaded this offseason after uncertainty around Alex Ovechkin’s future. Washington added Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner, while still carrying names like Tom Wilson, Aliaksei Protas and Ryan Leonard.
That kind of depth leaves some interesting pieces lower on the chart. While Ovechkin, Wilson and newcomer Alex Tuch are not realistic targets for Toronto, the Capitals could be in a spot where moving someone like Jenner or Anthony Beauvillier still leaves them in good shape. They also have Ethen Frank and Ivan Miroshnichenko waiting in the system.
For the Maple Leafs, Jenner stands out as the most established option. Toronto was linked to him in free agency, but couldn’t get it done.
He would fit cleanly in the top nine, can play wing or centre, and brings defensive value, physicality and strong face-off numbers. His $5.75 million cap hit is not cheap, but in the current market it looks manageable.
There are cheaper routes too. Frank put up 12 goals and 24 points in 62 games for Washington, while also adding 45 blocks and 53 hits. At $2 million, he looks like a useful bottom-six scorer who wouldn’t cost a fortune.
The most intriguing name might be Miroshnichenko. He brings a physical edge, plays with a mean streak and still has the hands to make plays once he wins the puck back.
He scored 34 points in 41 AHL games with Hershey and added three points in 13 games with the Capitals. At just $925,000 and with no trade protection, he also fits Toronto’s budget.
Marchenko remains the big swing. But if that door closes, the Maple Leafs have a pretty clear backup plan waiting in Washington’s surplus of wingers.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Have A Waiver Chance That Could Heat Up Canadiens Rivalry
Ryan Suzuki landing on waivers gives the Maple Leafs an interesting depth option at a time when roster shuffling is already part of the daily grind around the league. Ottawa made the move as it adjusts its lineup, and Toronto, always looking for low-cost ways to bolster its organization, now has a brief window to decide whether it wants to get involved.
The wrinkle, of course, is the family tie to Montreal, where Nick Suzuki has become one of the Canadiens most important players. Any claim by Toronto would not just be about adding another body to the mix, it would also add a fresh layer to a rivalry that never needs much help getting hotter. For now, though, there has been no official claim or transaction reported. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs May Have To Risk A Core Young Piece Here
The Maple Leafs are once again circling a deal that would reshape the top end of their forward group, with Toronto and Columbus reportedly deep in discussions over Kirill Marchenko. Marchenko is still a restricted free agent and does not have an extension in place, which makes the timing of any move especially delicate for a Leafs team looking to upgrade without losing too much ground in the process.
Matthew Knies and draft picks have surfaced as the kind of assets that could be involved, which is exactly the sort of price Toronto has to weigh carefully when chasing a player with upside. Nothing has been finalized or officially confirmed, and the talks remain fluid, but this is the kind of trade conversation that forces a club to decide how much of its young core it is willing to risk for a potential swing. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Fans Are Suddenly Watching A Strange Marchenko Trade Rumor
Morgan Riellys situation is one of the more interesting wrinkles around the Maple Leafs as the season approaches, because Jim Hiller appears ready to give the veteran defenseman a different look. Rielly has struggled to find the right fit in recent seasons, but the new role is expected to put him in a position that better matches his offensive strengths and gives Toronto a cleaner read on what it still has in one of its most established blue-liners.
Elsewhere in the hockey rumor mill, a much stranger Boston-related thread has started making the rounds after social media users noticed Bruins players and Kirill Marchenko following each other on Instagram. It is the kind of detail that can send fans into overdrive even when the most likely explanation is pure coincidence, but it has still been enough to get people wondering whether there is anything more to the chatter. [Read more 🡒]