Leafs acquire Marchenko, sign him to $75-million six-year deal before season opens

The Maple Leafs completed a major trade Monday, acquiring 26-year-old forward Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets and signing him to a six-year, $75-million contract — a deal announced one day before NHL opening night.

Toronto sent Matthew Knies, Elvis Merzlikins, Miles Wood, Steven Lorentz, and Emil Andrae to Columbus, along with a second-round pick (the later of Winnipeg or Columbus's 2027 second-round selections, originally acquired from Seattle in March). Columbus retained 18 per cent of Merzlikins' salary.

Marchenko, drafted 49th overall in 2018, has 102 goals and 208 points across 292 NHL regular-season games with Columbus. In the 2025-26 season, he led the Blue Jackets in goals with 27 and finished second in team scoring with 40 assists and 67 points across 76 games. He was heading into the final season of his previous contract, which carried a $3.85-million annual average value.

Marchenko made his NHL debut in 2022 after a professional career in the Russian-based KHL. Dan Milstein, Marchenko's agent, announced the contract on a verified X account.

Knies, 23, was viewed as a crucial piece of Toronto's future but had battled injury last season. He played on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, recording 23 goals and 43 assists for a career-best 66 points across 79 contests in 2025-26. His contract counts $7.75 million against the salary cap through 2031 and was described as team-friendly. GM John Chayka had told training camp that Knies remained an important part of the team, though he pointed to discussions involving previous management as potentially fuelling trade speculation around the forward.

Marchenko indicated he did not intend to re-sign with the Blue Jackets before the deal.