The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t just land Kirill Marchenko. They had to outmaneuver the market, lean on their best trade chip, and use their cap space in a way that gave Columbus a reason to say yes.
According to Elliotte Friedman on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, two things made Toronto stand out. One was Matthew Knies, the kind of young, controlled asset the Blue Jackets couldn’t find elsewhere.
The other was Toronto’s willingness to take on unwanted money, including Elvis Merzlikins and Miles Wood. Wood is now with the Marlies in the AHL, and Toronto reportedly tried to move him again that day.
Marchenko’s extension was verbally agreed to Monday and signed Tuesday: six years at $12.5 million per year. Friedman said his agent, Dan Milstein, knew what he wanted, and Toronto chose the six-year route.
The deal also had to be redone because of the “tagging” rule, which prevents teams from squeezing this year’s cap while piling major commitments into next year. That is believed to be why Emil Andrae was part of the trade.
Montreal was right there in the chase, too, and maybe even first in line. Friedman said the Canadiens were the most serious team after Marchenko all summer, pushing hard once it became clear he was available and would not be extended in Columbus. He also reported that Marchenko was reportedly happy to land there.
The Canadiens tried to get inventive with their offer. They may have involved other teams, either to absorb extra Columbus players or to route a player to Columbus through a third club.
But the Blue Jackets weren’t sold. The package had quality pieces, but it also included futures Columbus didn’t want, and none of it matched the value of Knies.
On the Connor Hellebuyck front, Frank Seravalli opened the door a crack on a possible Edmonton angle, though it still looks like a long shot. In his Sportsnet column Thursday, he questioned whether Hellebuyck’s desire to stay in the U.S. is an absolute or simply a preference.
He floated the Oilers as a possible landing spot if Tristan Jarry keeps struggling. Jarry gave up six goals in his season debut, and with Frederik Andersen out until December, Edmonton’s goaltending situation remains unsettled.
Winnipeg still has the upper hand. Hellebuyck is suspended for failing to report and is losing $38,659 a day, so the Jets can afford to wait.
Even if Hellebuyck were open to Edmonton, the trade math is ugly for the Oilers. Jarry has trade protection and Winnipeg probably wouldn’t want him anyway, while the Jets’ addition of Clay Stevenson may have reduced their need for a goalie.
Edmonton is also tight on cap space and doesn’t have many useful pieces the Jets would be eager to take. For now, that keeps this firmly in longshot territory.
Then there’s Dylan Larkin, where rival executives sound increasingly annoyed with Detroit’s ask. Seravalli reported that the Red Wings’ trade price is viewed as unrealistic.
“They have essentially asked for a younger version of Dylan Larkin back,” the GM said. “Even if someone had it, who is giving that up?”
There’s also uncertainty around Larkin’s injury situation. Detroit continues to say he is hurt, but one executive pointed out that the Red Wings are only clearing the salary cap floor by $1.6 million with Larkin on the books. “Paying him for now works for everyone,” the executive told Seravalli.
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