Leafs deal Knies to Blue Jackets for speedy Marchenko, who signs 6-year extension

The Maple Leafs have added another skilled forward to their roster reload.

Toronto acquired winger Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a blockbuster trade Monday on the eve of the new NHL season, then signed the winger to a six-year, $75 million US contract. Marchenko's agent, Dan Milstein, announced the contract on his verified X account.

Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and winger Miles Wood are also headed to Toronto, while the Maple Leafs are parting with young power forward Matthew Knies, veteran centre Steven Lorentz, defenceman Emil Andrae and a second-round pick.

The Blue Jackets are retaining 18 per cent of Merzlikins' salary. The second-round pick was originally acquired by Toronto in a trade with Seattle on March 6, and will be the later selection of the Winnipeg or Columbus 2027 second-round picks.

Marchenko had 102 goals and 106 assists for 208 points across 292 games with Columbus after being selected 49th overall at the 2018 NHL draft.

The 26-year-old, who is heading into the final season of a contract with an average annual value of $3.85 million, led the Blue Jackets with 27 goals and added 40 assists last season to finish second in team scoring with 67 points in 76 contests.

In Knies, the Blue Jackets get a forward who battled injury last season, but still finished with a career-best 66 points (23 goals, 43 assists) in 79 contests.

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Marchenko, who made his NHL debut in 2022 after beginning his professional career in the Russian-based KHL, joins Toronto after the club missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade despite a lineup featuring offensive stars Auston