Leafs’ GM thinks Marchenko deal will strengthen his team

John Chayka placed another big bet on his Maple Leafs.

The team’s new general manager also felt it was more than worth the risk.

Chayka spoke with the media ahead of Toronto’s regular-season opener against the Montreal Canadiens, less than 24 hours after completing a blockbuster trade to secure the services of skilled winger Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“There’s a lot of good players in the NHL,” Chayka said Tuesday morning at Scotiabank Arena. “Very few that can impact winning and can single-handedly dictate outcomes of games, and we believe that Kirill is one of those players.

“You gotta give up quality to get quality. We gave up some quality people and some quality players.”

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That list of what headed the other way was topped by Matthew Knies – a big, strong winger with skill of his own on a team-friendly contract.

Despite all those attributes, and being three years younger than Marchenko at age 23, his name had been swirling in rumours since the previous regime was in charge at last March’s NHL trade deadline.

“I apologized to [Knies] for the noise over the last several months,” Chayka said. “I don’t think it was necessarily fair to him. This was the only thing we seriously considered as a management group. These things happen. He understands … he’s a professional athlete and he’s a smart kid.

“It’s a good fit for him.”

The Maple Leafs are banking on the same for Marchenko – signed for this season at an average annual value of US$3.85-million and a player now with a verbal agreement on a six-year, US$75-million extension with his new team, according to an X post from agent Dan Milstein – in hockey’s biggest media market.

The 6-foot-3, 201-pound Russian had 102 goals and 106 assists for 208 points across 292 games with Columbus after being selected 49th overall at the 2018 draft.

Marchenko, who made his NHL debut in 2022 after a stint in the KHL, led the Blue Jackets with 27 goals and added 40 assists last season to finish second in team scoring with 67 points in 76 contests.

“A unique player,” Chayka said. “To be able to lock him up through those prime years and a number that we think is effective for us, you put that all together, we thought it was a special opportunity.”

The Maple Leafs also got goaltender Elvis Merzlikins – currently on long-term injured reserve with a shoulder injury expected to keep him out roughly another five months – and winger Miles Wood. Veteran centre Steven Lorentz, defenceman Emil Andrae and a second-round pick, meanwhile, made up the rest of the package heading to the Blue Jackets.

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Knies battled injury last season, but still finished with a career-best 66 points (23 goals, 43 assists) in 79 contests.

“Columbus is getting a horse with him, and just [a] good person, good player,” Toronto defenceman Chris Tanev said of the 6-foot-3, 223-pound forward. “He’ll be missed here. It’s the [expletive] part of the business, but we’re welcoming in an amazing player that I’ve heard nothing but great things about.”

It was unclear if immigration paperwork would be done in time for Marchenko to make his debut Tuesday, but Maple Leafs winger Jack Roslovic said it won’t be long until Marchenko was part of the locker-room fabric.

“You can take a lot of things from him,” said Roslovic, who played two seasons with Marchenko in Columbus. “Every day’s a great day for him … the things that irk him don’t really get in his way.

“Brings some juice and some life.”

Toronto head coach Jim Hiller wouldn’t speculate where Marchenko will fit in the lineup, but alongside No. 1 centre Auston Matthews appears from the outside to eventually be the most likely landing spot.

“One of those guys that seems to accelerate with the puck,” Hiller said. “He loves having the puck … he’s a shot threat and he distributes.

“There’s lots there for us. He’ll be a really strong addition.”

The Maple Leafs are also losing a big piece in Knies. Chayka, however, felt it was time for another swing after an off-season of seismic change coming off the club’s first playoff-less spring in a decade.

“My job is to always make the team as best as possible,” he said. “Not just collect talent, but put together a team that fits and works.

“We just felt like it was the right move at this time.”