Kirill Marchenko: The Leafs are in (very) advanced talks to acquire him

Kirill Marchenko could end up with the Toronto Maple Leafs before long.

And no, this isn't an April Fools' joke.

According to Elliotte Friedman, the Leafs and the Blue Jackets are currently negotiating to finalize a trade involving the Russian player. That would be… something.

Word is circulating this afternoon that the Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs are in deep discussions regarding a trade involving Kirill Marchenko.

More to come…

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 28, 2026

People have been talking about him in Montreal for months now.

For months, people have been saying he'd be the ideal player for the Canadiens, and for months, we've known that the player would like to switch teams as well.

Kirill Marchenko in the Leafs' blue and white uniform: ARK…

We know that acquiring Marchenko will come at a high price.

That said… what do negotiations between the two clubs look like right now? Is a player like Matthew Knies part of the discussions?

Remember that Don Waddell wants players who can help him right away in exchange for Marchenko. And in that regard, the Leafs might be in a better position than the Canadiens to make a solid offer…

More details to come…