Kirill Marchenko reshapes Maple Leafs and stirs up Atlantic Division rumours

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ pre-season blockbuster with the Columbus Blue Jackets continues to ripple through the NHL’s rumour mill. As Elliotte Friedman detailed on Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts podcast, the trade that brought Kirill Marchenko to Toronto did more than add a high-end talent to the Leafs’ lineup — it also removed a key target from the Montreal Canadiens’ wish list.

Leafs land Marchenko, Canadiens miss out

Friedman said the Canadiens were the most aggressive team pursuing Marchenko once it became clear he was unwilling to sign a new contract in Columbus. Behind the scenes, the Russian forward was believed to be open, and at one point even inclined, to join Montreal before his stance shifted over the course of the summer and Toronto emerged as his landing spot.

On the Maple Leafs’ side, Friedman linked some of the urgency around the deal to forward Matthew Knies. According to him, Knies’ representatives were approaching a point where they wanted a definitive answer on the player’s future role in Toronto after months of trade speculation. The young winger, who had already been close to heading to Montreal at the previous trade deadline, ultimately went to Columbus as part of the multi-piece swap, providing that clarity.

Early in the season, Marchenko has grabbed attention in Toronto, but sophomore winger Easton Cowan has arguably been even more eye-catching. Friedman noted that Cowan’s internal value has climbed significantly and that the organization’s appetite to include him in any trade talks has dropped. Ideas considered in the off-season that would have involved the 2023 first-round pick now appear far less likely to resurface.

Red Wings at a standstill with Larkin and Edvinsson

While Toronto managed to complete its big move, an Atlantic Division rival remains bogged down. The Detroit Red Wings still have not resolved former captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request and have yet to sign restricted free agent defenceman Simon Edvinsson, the sixth overall pick in 2021, to a new deal.

Friedman called the Edvinsson situation "a big deal" for the organization. He indicated the Red Wings prefer a bridge contract rather than long-term security, and that Edvinsson, now back in Sweden skating, has made an offer through his agent J.P. Barry. At this point, Friedman believes the next move rests entirely with Detroit’s front office.

As for Larkin, who is sidelined with an upper-body injury and will miss at least Detroit’s first two games, Friedman does not expect a long-term patch-up. While there have been internal conversations about trying to make it work, he has heard it is highly unlikely the relationship will be repaired to the point of a lengthy future together.

Nikishin and Hurricanes remain in limbo

Edvinsson is not the only young defenceman caught in a stalemate. In Carolina, restricted free agent Alexander Nikishin and the Stanley Cup–champion Hurricanes have yet to bridge their own gap. Friedman described the scenario as murky, saying recent noise about progress may simply reflect new agent Paul Theofanous digging into the file and checking in with various parties rather than any true breakthrough.

With Marchenko already changing the landscape in Toronto and multiple high-profile situations unresolved in Detroit and Carolina, speculation is building that another major trade involving a Russian player could surface. For now, though, the NHL heads into the new season with several key names still clouded by uncertainty.