The Toronto Maple Leafs are working on a trade to acquire forward Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the deal appears to hinge on whether Toronto can reach an extension with the winger.
TSN Hockey insider Pierre LeBrun reports the potential trade involves multiple pieces including Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports the multiple pieces are involved to help with salary cap offset before the 5 p.m. ET opening-night roster deadline on Monday.
Knies is set to carry a cap hit just under $4 million more than Marchenko this season and Columbus was previously pushed over the salary cap after inking Adam Fantilli to a six-year contract with a cap hit of $13.75 million last week.
Marchenko posted 27 goals and 67 points in 76 games last season with the Blue Jackets. He has topped 20 goals in each of his four seasons with the team, including finishing with a career-high 31 goals and 74 points during the 2024-25 season.
The 25-year-old winger is a pending unrestricted free agent, carrying a cap hit of $3.85 million this season in the last year of his current deal.
He was selected by the Blue Jackets in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Trade rumours have followed Marchenko since the end of last season, with Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell vowing in July that he would open the season with the team.
“I’ve had discussions with his agent, which we won’t discuss right now, but Marchenko is going to be a Blue Jacket when the season starts,” Waddell said at the time.
Knies’ time in Toronto at an end?
Knies was also at the centre of trade rumours this summer after he posted 23 goals and 66 points in 79 games with the Maple Leafs last season.
The 23-year-old winger is entering the second season of a six-year, $46.5 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $7.75 million.
Drafted 57th overall by the Maple Leafs in 2021, Knies has 67 goals and 160 points in 240 career games.
General manager John Chayka has made significant changes to the Maple Leafs since taking over in May, overhauling the forward group with the additions of Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, Zack MacEwen and first-overall pick Gavin McKenna.
Marchenko could be set to replace Knies on Toronto’s top line beside Auston Matthews and Roslovic. Moving Knies would leave just four forwards from last year’s roster in the projected lineup for Tuesday’s season opener.
This story will be updated.
