The first time Toronto and Columbus met since the Kirill Marchenko deal, the Maple Leafs walked away with a pretty loud answer.
Toronto went into Columbus and handled the Blue Jackets 6-2 on Tuesday, with Marchenko landing squarely in the middle of the story. The winger scored against his former team, and the Leafs never let the night drift back toward uncertainty after that.
The trade itself sent 23-year-old top-six forward Matthew Knies to Columbus for Marchenko, a player Toronto believed was the upgrade. Toronto also picked up injured goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and depth forward Miles Wood, who has not played a game for the Leafs yet. Columbus received forward Steven Lorentz, who has only played in the AHL so far, defenseman Emil Andrae, who has done quite well this season, and a 2027 second-round pick.
That made Tuesday a natural measuring stick. Columbus got the opening punch when defenseman Jake Christiansen scored just under three minutes into the game, but the Leafs answered quickly. Auston Matthews drove the puck low in the offensive zone, powered his way toward the net, and slid a pass across the crease that went in off Marchenko’s skate to tie it.
A GOAL IS A GOAL 🚨
Kirill Marchenko wasted little time before scoring against him former team! pic.twitter.com/d5TDmbzmJL
- NHL (@NHL) October 20, 2026
Marchenko has been stacking production all season. He’s now been on the scoresheet in nine of 11 games, with five goals and six assists for 11 points and a point-per-game pace.
Toronto took over from there. The Maple Leafs put up four goals in the second period and carried a 5-1 lead into the third, turning what started as a close game into a runaway.
One trade piece did show up again in the final period, though not in the way the night might have suggested early. Andrae picked up his second assist of the season on Columbus’ second goal, trimming the margin to three. Then Marshall Rifai added the late goal that made it official, the first of the AHL defenseman’s NHL career.
Knies, meanwhile, stayed quiet. He didn’t register a point and has now gone six games without scoring. Through eight games, he has two goals and two assists for four points, which still leaves him within reach of his career-high 66 points from last season.
Even so, Tuesday gave Toronto a strong snapshot of why it made the deal in the first place. Marchenko has already been a difference maker, and on this night, the Leafs looked like the team that got the better end of the swap.
In Other News...
Auston Matthews Is Giving Maple Leafs Fans A New Captaincy Debate
Auston Matthews has looked at his captaincy differently this season, and it has given Maple Leafs fans something else to debate beyond the usual questions about his production and the teams ceiling. There is a sense that his leadership has become more deliberate, both in how he carries himself with the media and in the way he handles his role on the ice, which has made the early read on this season feel a little different than in years past.
One thread worth watching is whether that change is happening in a vacuum or with some help from around the organization. Mats Sundins presence has been floated as a possible influence on Matthews approach, though nothing about that is confirmed, and the broader point is simpler: Matthews may just be settling into the job on his own terms. For a captain under constant scrutiny in Toronto, even a subtle shift in demeanor can turn into a meaningful storyline fast. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Suddenly Have A Jake McCabe Concern They Cant Ignore
Jake McCabes night ended early against the Columbus Blue Jackets after a stick incident forced the Maple Leafs defenseman out of the game in the first period. Toronto confirmed he did not return, leaving the team to wait for more information on what exactly happened and how serious the injury might be.
The concern for the Leafs is obvious because McCabe is such a steady part of their blue line, and any facial injury brings an immediate layer of uncertainty. Head coach Jim Hiller is expected to provide an update, but for now Toronto is left hoping the situation is not as damaging as it looked in the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Blue Line Trouble Just Made This Erik Karlsson Rumor Real
Torontos injury pileup on the blue line has pushed the Maple Leafs into a familiar place this time of year, searching for help and trying to figure out whether a move can steady the back end before the situation gets worse. That search has now sharpened around Erik Karlsson, with reports linking Toronto to the Penguins defenseman as the club weighs how a high-end puck mover would fit into a lineup that has been stretched thin.
Karlsson is still producing offense in Pittsburgh, which is part of why the rumor has real legs, and the fit is easy enough to imagine for a Leafs team looking for immediate impact. The harder part is the price, and nothing has been settled yet, but this is the kind of conversation that tends to get louder once injuries force a contender to explore every possible option. [Read more 🡒]