Insider reveals harsh truth about Matthew Knies' trade out of Toronto
Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko blockbuster did not come together overnight. According to NHL insider David Pagnotta, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets had been working toward a deal since July.
Pagnotta shared the timeline on DFO Insider, and his description points to a patient negotiation rather than a last-minute scramble.
Matthew Knies was offered up to Columbus in July, they went back after the draft...they said, we'll include Knies...if you wanna get serious about this
Toronto Circled Back After the Draft
The message was clear. Toronto first put Knies on the table in July, then returned once the draft had passed to tell Columbus he was available if the Blue Jackets wanted to move from talk to action.
Knies had been a fixture in trade chatter since the March deadline, when Pagnotta reported a Montreal deal nearly got done, so it is little surprise he became the centerpiece here.
The trade became official on September 28, the eve of the 2026-27 season. Toronto sent Knies, Steven Lorentz, Emil Andrae and a conditional 2027 second-round pick to Columbus.
In return, the Leafs landed Marchenko, Miles Wood and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, with the Blue Jackets retaining 18 percent of Merzlikins' salary.
Marchenko also signed a six-year, $75 million extension with a $12.5 million cap hit, answering the biggest question hanging over his future.
What the Deal Means for Both Teams
For Toronto, the appeal is obvious. Marchenko, 26, scored 27 goals and 67 points in 76 games last season and is expected to skate alongside Auston Matthews on the top line.
Wood and Merzlikins give general manager Chayka extra bodies up front and in goal as the new regime reshapes the roster.
Columbus, meanwhile, gets a 23-year-old who set a career high with 66 points in 79 games and is signed through 2030-31. That return softens the loss of a winger whose camp had signaled he was unlikely to re-sign.
Now the focus shifts to the ice, where Marchenko and Knies will be measured against each other for years.
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