NHL Trade Grades: Blue Jackets Send Kirill Marchenko to Maple Leafs for Matthew Knies

If there was any doubt the NHL is in a new era, this may be the final blow. The end of preseason can be a manic period for end-of-the-roster maneuvering, but teams typically either get the big stuff done during the summer or wait until they settle into a new season.

With a growing salary cap, front offices willing to stray from tradition, and the peak of a player empowerment movement, the ground was set for a blockbuster like this. The Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets are swapping prominent young wingers. Kirill Marchenko gets the move out of Columbus that he sought, while Matthew Knies departs Toronto.

How does this change the outlook for both teams, both this season and beyond? Let's analyze this heavy trade and assess what it means for both the Maple Leafs and the Blue Jackets.

Toronto Maple Leafs

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Kirill Marchenko

The Maple Leafs had a very busy offseason, but while new GM John Chayka did a lot of tinkering, it did not seem that he had yet quite changed the energy around the team.

This should do it.

Kirill Marchenko, 26, is a budding star who was held down by the talent around him in Columbus. His 27 goals and 40 assists in 76 games last season are impressive, given how little help he had; no other forward had more than 59 points, and only Adam Fantilli and Charlie Coyle broke the 40-point barrier.

It's not an ideal setup for any player, let alone one with Marchenko's toolbox. The Russian is 6'3" and is a convincing north-south skater. His puck skills are brilliant. Marchenko is also one of the league's best shooters from distance. His release is quick and effortless; he picks corners, and he disguises his intentions. Marchenko is a huge threat shooting from above the circles or in the high slot. 

He is also a great driver of offense, creating many zone entries with his speed and skill. Aside from being flat-out better than Knies, he brings a skill set better suited to the Leafs' needs. He'll be able to run-and-gun with the likes of McKenna, Matthews, and Nylander, providing much more offensive upside. Nobody will replace Mitch Marner, but his presence has to be very reassuring to Auston Matthews as he figures out his future in Toronto.

The addition of winger Miles Wood also indicates a desire to address the Leafs' slow skating. He is in the top 10% of NHLers for 20+ MPH bursts. His $2.5 million contract through 2027 isn't ideal, but he's dealt with injuries in the past and could need a fresh start on a team where his role is clear.

Grade: A-

Columbus Blue Jackets

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Matthew Knies

It's familiar territory for Columbus. A top player wants out, and the team has to scramble to make lemonade out of lemons.

Considering they lacked much leverage — Marchenko is a restricted free agent next summer — and were looking to acquire players who could help now rather than future lottery tickets, the Blue Jackets come away from this at least having saved face.

Matthew Knies, 23, is a different type of player than Marchenko. He lacks the refined skills and speed that Marchenko has, but he drives play in his own right. Knies is very involved in touching pucks on the breakout. The left-winger is heavy, at 6'3" and 232 pounds, and he is aggressive on the forecheck. Knies is a pristine finisher around the net and has decent playmaking instincts. He'll fit well into a lot of different systems and with different linemates.

It's a major downgrade in talent. Marchenko is a bona fide first-line winger who could hit point-per-game numbers in Toronto; Knies, meanwhile, is better suited as a second-liner. Or, if he's on the top line, he needs to be the third-best player, tasked with more rustic duties. There's no Auston Matthews or William Nylander in Columbus. He is another player in a mold that Columbus had accumulated: strong middle-six play drivers who lack individual offensive upside. 

Emil Andrae, not for nothing, is a good puck-moving defenseman who could fill in as a third-pairing defenseman. The 24-year-old is an analytical favorite, though he is just 5'9.

The Blue Jackets lose by virtue of trading Marchenko, but under the circumstances, GM Don Waddell did well enough. The biggest point of relief for the Blue Jackets will be that Knies is locked up at a reasonable $7.75 million cap hit through 2031. That's at least one young building block whom they won't have to worry about for the next few seasons. On top of that, they get some financial freedom by offloading Wood and part of Merzļikins' contract, as well as a second-round pick.

Grade: B