‘A really, really gifted player’: Kirill Marchenko wows teammates in Leaf debut
Kirill Marchenko was feeling a million different things off the ice. And it didn’t show at all on the ice.
He stepped out to greet reporters for the first time as a Toronto Maple Leaf Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena after his new team dropped its 2026-27 home opener 3-2 to the Montreal Canadiens, and he was justifiably overwhelmed. He immediately noted the size of the media contingent, a night-and-day change from the Columbus Blue Jackets experience. He took his first opportunity to thank his now-former organization for the four seasons he spent there. He admitted he was nervous. He apologized repeatedly for what he felt was insufficient English. He explained that he was running on three hours’ sleep.
“Last two days, it’s been crazy,” he said. “We packed and moved with my wife here, and yeah, it was [a] two busy days, really busy. But I’m happy it’s done right now, and I’m happy to be here.”
Totally relatable feelings. Marchenko was give or take 30 hours removed from joining the Leafs in a blockbuster trade that sent fan favorite power forward Matthew Knies to Columbus – and included Marchenko inking a six-year contract extension at a $12.5-million AAV. Marchenko had barely made the game-day cutoff for work visa clearance. He had no chance to practise with his teammates – just a quick rundown from coach Jim Hiller on the Leafs’ systems and a chat with his new center, Auston Matthews, and left winger, former Columbus teammate Jack Roslovic.
“I was talking to him a little bit in the morning, but I didn’t want to give him too much, and I think when he got here this afternoon, just talk a lot out there, try to find each other and communicate a lot on the bench between shifts and look at stuff,” Matthews said after Tuesday’s game. “But he’s such a good player, he’s so smart, he’s got such a unique skill set, and that stuff will come.”
It would’ve been forgivable – expected, even – if Marchenko looked sluggish or jittery in his debut game. Instead, he was arguably the best forward on the ice for either team, one of Toronto’s few highlights in a disappointing defeat.
Marchenko’s hands and stick were active as can be. His 93rd percentile speed popped alongside Matthews. Marchenko was strong on the wall, using his 6-foot-3, 201-pound frame effectively. Though William Nylander notched both of Toronto’s goals from the second line, the Roslovic-Matthews-Marchenko trio was consistently dangerous. With Marchenko on the ice at 5-on-5, the Leafs outshot the Habs 12-5 and outchanced them a whopping 10-1. Marchenko’s on-ice expected goal share of 76.22 percent was second among Leafs forwards behind only Easton Cowan and, if the fancy stats aren’t your jam, Marchenko did find the actual scoresheet, too, picking up an assist, his first point as a Leaf, 48 seconds into the game when Nylander ripped a wrist shot past Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobes.
Cap Summary
Draft Picks
Marchenko’s teammates were naturally quite impressed with what they saw from him Tuesday night.
“We’re getting a guy that’s very, very elite, and my impression of him tonight is, he’s a big boy, he can make plays, shoots it,” Matthews said. “For what he had to endure the last 24 hours as far as getting traded, flying here last night, getting here today, new everything, getting the visa, that stuff…I thought we had some really good opportunities tonight and some good looks and good chances. Once you get settled in and the more time you’re gonna get together, the chemistry’s going to build more and more.”
Marchenko wasn’t nearly as satisfied with his own performance. He has high standards as someone who averaged 31 goals and 75 points per 82 games over the previous two seasons, his breakout years in Columbus. And he felt he was capable of more in his debut.
“I had good chances, but it’s not what I want to see from myself,’ he said. “I can play better. I can play better for sure.”
The Leafs hope they’re capable of more as well. They were a disjointed group in their opener, looking, as Hiller noted, very much like a team that was just getting to know each other. No kiddin; the Leafs dressed 10 skaters out of 18 who had never worn Leaf uniforms for a regular-season game before, including eight of their 12 forwards. As much as they worked to bond as quickly as possible during the abbreviated preseason, nothing can simulate how they work together in games with actual stakes. It will take time to truly know each other as teammates.
It will also take time for the Leafs to get over losing Knies, a beloved player in their room. The excitement over landing a talent like Marchenko was real, but so was the sting of saying goodbye to Knies.
“He had such a big impact on the ice, off the ice,” Matthews said. “I think he’s a very unique player. One of the more popular, well-liked guys in the room. He’s a great personality, big personality, loved to joke around, great, great teammate. So we’re going to miss him. It’s the tough part of the business. Things like this happen sometimes, but that’s just the way things go. We’re super happy to welcome Kirill here, and I think he’s going to do very good things for us.”
“I think the world of ‘Kniesy,’ and obviously [he was] very close to the group in here and a heck of a player,” said Leafs center John Tavares. “He’s got a great future ahead of him. A little bit shocking in a way just because of the impact he’s made since coming in, but you add a talent like Kirill, you saw tonight some of the flashes of what he can do and how he’ll impact the game and what his skill set is. A really, really gifted hockey player. A lot of things that I think are going to be very helpful for us. So it’s mixed emotions, but we’re real excited to have Kirill and what he’s going to bring to the team. And obviously wish ‘Kniesy’ the best.”
If Marchenko keeps playing like he did Tuesday, and the rest of the new Leafs show signs of catching up, the sadness of Knies’ departure should give way to euphoria. Marchenko is in his prime at 26, he’s locked in as a new core member for seven seasons and, according to him, last night wasn’t his best. Considering he was the best player wearing blue and white on Tuesday, that bodes extremely well.
_____
POST SPONSORED BY bet365
_____
Recently by Matt Larkin
