The storied rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens needs no artificial hype, but the upcoming 2026-27 season opener on Tuesday just got a massive injection of fuel.
During a segment on the TSN Hockey Panel, NHL insider Darren Dreger dropped a fascinating subplot regarding the Maple Leafs' blockbuster trade for Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets. According to Dreger, Toronto GM John Chayka didn't just successfully land the dynamic winger; he trumped the Habs in a bidding war. When the two Original Six franchises take to the ice to kick off the season, the battle will represent more than two points in the standings; it will be the first meeting involving the division rivals since a background executive battle to acquire the sniper.
How the Leafs beat Montreal for Kirill Marchenko
On a TSN panel with host James Duthie, Dreger gave the backstory of the trade between the Leafs and Blue Jackets for Marchenko, saying the two teams began initial discussions around July 1 and focused on including Matthew Knies as part of a package for defenseman Zach Werenski. Trade talk then shifted to Marchenko after it became known that he would not sign an extension with Columbus.
Dreger said many NHL teams coveted the Blue Jackets' goal-scoring winger, describing it as "terrific interest." The NHL insider said Chayka was persistent in his discussions with his counterpart in Columbus, Don Waddell, and that things started coming together a few weeks ago when the Blue Jackets decided to start listening to offers for Marchenko.
Later, Dreger said, it was a "Canadian showdown" to trade for Marchenko. He said the Canadiens were "keen" to acquire the winger and that Canadiens GM Kent Hughes worked hard to make it happen, but Montreal didn't have a player like Knies that they were prepared to send to Columbus. As a result, the Canadiens couldn't "get it over the line."
Ultimately, Chayka stepped up and offered a premium asset that tipped the scales in the Maple Leafs' favor to acquire Marchenko. The upside and highly attractive contract of Knies give the Blue Jackets an immediate roster player who will help them moving forward.
By contrast, the Canadiens' unwillingness to match or exceed that hefty price tag cost them a premium sniper and created a fascinating storyline that will echo for years. As the Maple Leafs battle their historic Original Six and Atlantic Division rivals for postseason glory, Marchenko's success or failure in Toronto will be a stark reminder of the gamble Montreal passed on, and the Leafs risked in trading away Knies.
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