Maple Leafs acquire Kirill Marchenko in blockbuster trade - ESPN

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko in a blockbuster trade on the eve of the NHL season, the clubs announced Monday.

The Maple Leafs traded top-line winger Matthew Knies, forward Steven Lorentz, defenseman Emil Andrae and a 2027 second-round pick for Marchenko, forward Miles Wood and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.

Marchenko, 26, led the Blue Jackets in goals in each of the past three seasons, amassing 81 goals in 233 games. After he was drafted 49th in 2018, Marchenko had 208 points in 292 games with the Blue Jackets, skating to a plus-8. He's expected to slot onto the Leafs' top line with star center Auston Matthews.

ESPN's Kevin Weekes reported in June that Marchenko wanted a change in scenery, per his agent, Dan Milstein. When Marchenko reported to Blue Jackets camp, he vaguely answered questions about his future and refused to say whether Columbus was still where he wanted to play.

Marchenko and Milstein were given permission to negotiate a contract extension with the Maple Leafs, who signed the forward to a six-year extension with a $12.5 million cap hit. Marchenko has one more year on his current contract ($3.85 million) and was scheduled to become a restricted free agent next summer.

Wood, 31, is a depth forward entering his 12th NHL season. His contract runs through 2029 with a $2.5 million average annual value. Merzlikins, 32, had been the Blue Jackets' starting goalie for the better part of his seven years with the franchise until rookie Jet Greaves took the crease last season. Merzlikins is in the last year of a contract with a $5.4 million cap hit but is out indefinitely after failing a physical at the start of training camp following shoulder surgery in August. The