Report: Marchenko, Merzlikins, Wood Head to Toronto in Blue Jackets Trade

Kirill Marchenko lands a six-year, $75 million extension in Toronto after Columbus deals him, Elvis Merzlikins and Miles Wood for Matthew Knies, Emil Andrae and a pick.

Kirill Marchenko's time in Columbus is up. The Blue Jackets shipped the right wing, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and forward Miles Wood to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, Sept. 28, per multiple reports, with the deal coming together just before the league's deadline to set opening rosters. Columbus brings back 6-foot-3 forward Matthew Knies, defenseman Emil Andrae, a second-round draft choice and a second forward.

Columbus first cleared Toronto to open contract talks with Marchenko, a step insider Elliotte Friedman reported. Those discussions ended in a six-year, $75 million extension with a $12.5 million annual cap hit that kicks in for 2027-28, per agent Dan Milstein, who announced the terms. Marchenko had been playing out a contract that counts only $3.85 million against the cap.

Marchenko, 26, topped the Blue Jackets in goal scoring and is coming off a 27-goal season that followed a 31-goal campaign two years earlier. His raise arrives in a summer when the NHL's fast-rising salary cap has fueled enormous payouts for top young restricted free agents. Columbus used that same market recently to sign center Adam Fantilli to a six-year, $82.5 million extension.

Merzlikins has been on injured reserve while recovering from shoulder surgery performed Aug. 17. The goaltender is in the last year of a five-year deal that carries a $5.4 million cap hit and pays him $4.22 million this season, and Columbus will keep 18 percent of that contract on its books in the swap. Merzlikins and his wife, Aleksandra, have also listed their 6,026-square-foot New Albany home for $2.9 million, according to RedFin.

Knies, 23, gives the Blue Jackets a 23-goal, 43-assist season from his third full NHL campaign, plus 52 goals over the past two years combined. Toronto selected him 57th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and he skated 18 minutes and 48 seconds per game on average. He remains under contract through 2030-31 at a $7.75 million cap charge.

Wood heads north after managing 14 points last season. Andrae had joined the Maple Leafs earlier this offseason, and Toronto's signing of Nick Blankenburg this week made the defenseman available for a move. The trade is another piece of new general manager John Chayka's overhaul of a Toronto team that missed the playoffs, ending a run of nine consecutive appearances.

Marchenko speculation began in late June ahead of the NHL Draft, alongside reports that defenseman Zach Werenski did not want to remain in Columbus past the two seasons left on his deal. General manager Don Waddell fielded a steady stream of calls, and no suitor pursued Marchenko harder than the Montreal Canadiens, who kept pushing after the draft opened. Their chase picked up steam right before Columbus went on the clock at 14th overall, after ESPN's Kevin Weekes relayed that Marchenko's camp had told him the forward would not commit to the Blue Jackets long term.

Werenski drew even heavier interest until he blocked a trade to the Dallas Stars on July 1. He and Waddell then issued statements saying the Norris Trophy winner wished to remain in Columbus, though neither side offered a timeline. A day later, Waddell told reporters Marchenko would still be wearing a Blue Jackets uniform when the season began, referencing talks with agent Dan Milstein he declined to detail, and added that he looked for both players to report to camp in September. Marchenko originally joined the organization as the 49th overall pick in the 2018 draft's second round.

The Maple Leafs are back on home ice Tuesday, September 29, hosting the Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena. The game begins at 7:00 PM EDT and streams on ESPN+.