Leafs acquire and extend Kirill Marchenko

[Guilt Trip]

I really like Knies, and I am sad to see him go. The Leafs are a better team than they were a couple hours ago.

Same

 

[dappleganger]

Do the Leafs only have 3-NHL LD now?

 

[Darryl]

It almost feels like more was going on behind the scenes with Knies. Not a trade demand but letting it be known he would not be opposed to moving on.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has acquired forwards Kirill Marchenko and Miles Wood, as well as goaltender Elvis Merzļikins, from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenceman Emil Andrae, forwards Matthew Knies and Steven Lorentz, as well as a second-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft.

The Blue Jackets are retaining 18 percent of Merzļikins’ salary. The second-round selection was originally acquired by Toronto in a trade with Seattle on March 6, 2026, and will be the later selection of the Winnipeg or Columbus 2027 second-round picks

Knies for Marchenko I think should have been an even trade straight up basically. Lorentz for Woods is probably advantage Columbus. Woods has 1 additional year left on his deal and carries a $1.15mil higher cap hit. Woods has more of a track record with producing in the NHL though. Then we take on Elvis with some retention, which feels like us doing Columbus a favour more than anything. I wonder if what the long-term play is there... so far nothing has really suggested he'll be on LTIR all year so do the Leafs hope to flip him at some point?

That leaves Andrae and a 2nd rounder feeling like they're just in a void somewhere. Really don't get why those were included.

 

[lamajama]

It almost feels like more was going on behind the scenes with Knies. Not a trade demand but letting it be known he would not be opposed to moving on.

I wouldn't blame the guy...apparently pretty much moving on to the Habs last year and then all the rumours. At some point I think if it was me I'd be thinking F you after I signed a long term deal to stay.