The Toronto Maple Leafs were already going to look a lot different next year, but then they decided to drop a bomb and trade for Kirill Marchenko one day before the season started.
There's more to the trade, but the Leafs essentially traded Matthew Knies and a second round pick for Marchenko, but were able to extend him right away to a six-year deal at $12.5M AAV. That price-tag makes him the second highest paid player on the Leafs, right behind Auston Matthews, but NHL salaries are so out of whack right now, that it's actually a very fair contract.
After a few days of speculation, this trade came together right before their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens and it's a super exciting time to be a Leafs fan. It would have been incredible if the team could have found a way to get Zach Wirenski from Columbus too, but we'll take it, as this trade makes the team better now, and for the future.
It's very interesting to move on from Knies, who has a great contract with similar stats to Marchenko, but clearly the Leafs either saw a flaw in Knies, or knew that Marchenko fits this team better. Either way, it's such a fun hockey trade, so let's look at who he should be playing with.
Option No. 1: Auston Matthews & Gavin McKenna
It seems pretty certain that Matthews and McKenna aren't going to play together, but can we dream about this line to start the year? At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Marchenko is an elite power forward who can barrel to the net and score. Meanwhile, that would create a ton of space for McKenna and Matthews to connect and be a dymanic group together.
Even if Jim Hiller does see this line long-term, can we please get it early in the season for a few shifts just to see?
Option No. 2: Auston Matthews & Nick Paul
I've been screaming from the mountain top that Nick Paul needs to play on the top-line with Matthews and now that they have Marchenko, I want it even more. The left-wing was crowded with Knies, as they not only had him ahead of him in the depth chart, but Easton Cowan and McKenna as well. However, now that the Arizona, native is gone, Paul would make the team's top-line even more tough to play against.
With Paul and Marchenko on his line, Matthews may not have that true assist-man to help him with one-timers, but I feel like he would create a ton of space himself and his linemates were roughing up the opponent.
Option No. 3: John Tavares & Gavin McKenna
The McKenna-Tavares-Nylander connection is looking pretty good during preseason, but pushing Marchenko to the second-line with Tavares and McKenna could create another nice option as it would bring Nylander up to the first-line with Matthews. Tavares is a smart hockey player who isn't afraid to go to the net, but he could allow Marchenko to do the dirty work on this line.
As such, it could turn McKenna into the pure goalscorer on this line, as Tavares can use his Hockey IQ to be the assist-man. We look at McKenna as the playmaker, which he still could be with Tavares and Marchenko, but he can also clearly score, as he scored 41 goals in junior.
Prior to the trade, the team was stronger on the left-side, but this deal clearly evens both sides, as a top-six of Cowan, McKenna, Tavares, Nylander, Matthews and Marchenko is an unreal balance of skill, size, veterans and youth.
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