The Toronto Maple Leafs traded Matthew Knies to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, 28 September, in a six-player deal that brings Kirill Marchenko to Toronto. Miles Wood and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins come with him. Columbus get Knies, Steven Lorentz, defenceman Emil Andrae and a 2027 second-round pick.
It happened the day before opening night. The Leafs host the Montréal Canadiens tonight at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET), and general manager John Chayka said he hoped Marchenko could play if his immigration paperwork clears in time. Marchenko has already signed a six-year extension with Toronto that starts next season, according to his agent.
The Knies trade: full details
| Toronto Maple Leafs get | Columbus Blue Jackets get |
|---|---|
| Kirill Marchenko, RW, 26 | Matthew Knies, LW, 23 |
| Miles Wood, LW, 31 | Steven Lorentz, C, 30 |
| Elvis Merzlikins, G, 32 | Emil Andrae, D, 24 |
| 2027 second-round pick |
Two details sit outside the NHL’s own summary. Columbus kept 18 per cent of Merzlikins’ salary, according to TSN. TSN and ESPN also report the draft pick as conditional, though neither club has published the condition.
Why did the Maple Leafs trade Matthew Knies?
Toronto wanted a goal scorer in his prime, and they paid for one in young talent. Chayka described Marchenko as one of the few players in the league who can decide a game on his own. He also pointed to the right-handed shot, which gives Toronto different options on the power play. “You’ve got to give up quality to get quality,” he said.
The deal ends months of speculation around Knies. Chayka said he had apologized to the 23-year-old for the noise, and that this was the only Knies trade the front office seriously considered. The cost is a homegrown player: Toronto drafted Knies in the second round in 2021, developed him and signed him to a six-year contract in July 2025.
What the Leafs get: Marchenko, Wood and Merzlikins
Marchenko is the centrepiece. He scored 27 goals and 67 points in 76 games last season, led Columbus in goals for the third year running and finished second on the team in points. His best year was 2024-25, with 31 goals. In 292 NHL games, all for the Blue Jackets, who drafted him 49th overall in 2018, he has 102 goals and 208 points.
He was one season from restricted free agency, which is why the extension matters. Toronto now have him for seven seasons, this one included, instead of a negotiation next summer.
Wood, 31, adds depth on the wing: eight goals and 14 points in 54 games last season, and 99 goals in 567 games for New Jersey, Colorado and Columbus.
Merzlikins is the open question. The 32-year-old Latvian went 14-11-3 with a 3.40 goals-against average and an .883 save percentage last season, and he is in the final year of his contract. At the time of writing, Toronto’s roster lists Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz in goal, so his role is not yet clear.
What Columbus get: Knies, Lorentz and Andrae
Knies is the prize. He set a career high with 66 points (23 goals, 43 assists) in 79 games last season, a year after scoring a career-best 29 goals. He has 160 points in 240 regular-season games and 14 more in 27 playoff games. The six-year contract he signed in July 2025 runs for five more seasons, this one included.
Lorentz, a 30-year-old centre from Kitchener, Ontario, had seven goals and 18 points for Toronto last season. He won the Stanley Cup with Florida in 2024.
Andrae is on the move for the second time in three months. The 24-year-old Swedish defenceman came to Toronto from Philadelphia on 16 June in the Joseph Woll trade, after two goals and 13 points for the Flyers last season. The Blue Jackets open at home to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, 1 October (7 p.m. ET).
The numbers side by side
| Player | Now with | Pos | Age | GP | G | A | PTS | Career PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirill Marchenko | Toronto | RW | 26 | 76 | 27 | 40 | 67 | 208 |
| Matthew Knies | Columbus | LW | 23 | 79 | 23 | 43 | 66 | 160 |
| Miles Wood | Toronto | LW | 31 | 54 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 196 |
| Steven Lorentz | Columbus | C | 30 | 71 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 80 |
| Emil Andrae | Columbus | D | 24 | 61 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 20 |
Regular-season figures for 2025-26, from the NHL. Merzlikins, the only goaltender in the deal, won 14 of his 30 games last season and has a .900 save percentage in 274 career games, all with Columbus.
What the Knies trade means for the Leafs
On paper, Toronto swapped a 23-year-old winger for a 26-year-old who has led his team in goals three seasons running. Both are signed long term: Knies for five more seasons, Marchenko for seven including this one.
The Leafs also sent out a defenceman and took back a goaltender on an expiring contract, so the next roster moves are worth watching. They play back to back to open the season, Montréal tonight and the New York Islanders on Wednesday. Our how to watch the NHL in Canada guide has the channels.
Betting: how the trade moves the Leafs’ odds
Deals like this move the futures board. When a contender adds a proven scorer, its Stanley Cup and division prices tend to shorten, and player props shift with the new lines. Prices can move before Marchenko has skated with his new team, so treat the first reaction as a guess about fit. Our Stanley Cup odds page tracks the board, and our Leafs vs Canadiens preview covers tonight’s game. 19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Please play responsibly.
Every trade of the season is on our NHL trade tracker, updated twice a day, with the Canadian clubs broken out one by one. For schedules and rosters, see the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets team pages.
Knies trade FAQs
Toronto got Kirill Marchenko, Miles Wood and Elvis Merzlikins from Columbus. The Blue Jackets got Knies, Steven Lorentz, Emil Andrae and a 2027 second-round pick.
On Monday, 28 September 2026, the day before the Maple Leafs opened their season at home to the Montreal Canadiens.
Yes. His agent says he signed a six-year extension with the Maple Leafs that starts in 2027-28. He was one season from restricted free agency.
Yes. TSN reports the Blue Jackets kept 18 per cent of Elvis Merzlikins’ salary, and Merzlikins is in the final year of his contract.
TSN and ESPN report the 2027 second-round pick as conditional, but the condition has not been published. The NHL’s own summary lists it simply as a second-round pick in the 2027 draft.
He scored a career-high 66 points, with 23 goals and 43 assists in 79 games for Toronto. His best goal total is 29, from 2024-25.
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