The Toronto Maple Leafs’ trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on the eve of the season involved seven pieces, but — in a way — it was also a two-for-one.
Not only did the Leafs land — and extend — a fantastic player, they also kept him away from a division rival that was in hot pursuit of Kirill Marchenko all summer long. Speaking on the 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted the Montreal Canadiens definitely targeted Marchenko and, in fact, may have been the player’s preferred destination over Toronto until something changed.
“Montreal, no question, had been the most serious pursuer all summer from the moment Marchenko was potentially available,” said Friedman, adding Marchenko had informed the Jackets he would not sign a new deal to stay in Columbus. “[The Canadiens] were the team that chased the hardest. Word behind the scenes was he was more than happy to go there.
“The word early in July was he was willing to go to Montreal, but wasn’t so crazy about Toronto. Somewhere over the summer that changed.”
32 Thoughts: The Podcast
Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
On the Leafs’ end, Friedman noted some of the urgency around the transaction had to do with Matthew Knies and the desire from Knies’ camp to have some clarity on the player’s future in Toronto. Knies, of course, had been in the centre of trade rumours dating back the trade deadline in March when he was nearly shipped to, of all teams, the Canadiens.
Now, he’s in Columbus because Toronto and Columbus were able to get the megaswap over the line.
“I was told after the trade that the Maple Leafs were preparing for, I don’t know if ultimatum is the right word, but I think they knew Knies or his representation was going to demand some clarity,” Friedman said. “‘Enough is enough already, our player needs to know he’s in your plans or he’s not.’”
Leafs no longer taking calls on Cowan
While Marchenko has certainly excited Buds fans through two games this year, the player who’s jumped off the screen in Blue and White is second-year winger Easton Cowan. Given general manager John Chayka’s clear willingness to explore all paths in pursuit of improving the club, some wondered if the 2023 first-rounder would be a possible trade chip for Toronto. According to Friedman, anybody calling about “Cowboy” now should be prepared to hear a “no.”
“I think there were a couple things in the off-season that they were considering that could potentially have Cowan involved and I did hear this week that Cowan’s stock in the organization was way up,” he said. “And that Toronto’s desire to move Cowan has really decreased.”
Edvinsson talks stall, Larkin bridge burned in Motor City
While Toronto was able to close the deal on a big transaction this week, another Atlantic rival appears stuck in the mud on some key issues. The Detroit Red Wings, of course, have yet to accommodate the trade request of former captain Dylan Larkin. And, making matters worse, the Wings have also failed to come to terms with 23-year-old defenceman Simon Edvinsson — the sixth-overall pick in 2021 — on a new contract.
“The Edvinsson thing is a big deal,” Friedman said. “I believe, organizationally, they want a bridge, they don’t want term. The one thing I heard from a couple different places is now that Edvinsson has gone back to Sweden to skate, the ball is in the Red Wings’ court. It’s their decision what happens here. What that says to me is Edvinsson or his reps (agent J.P. Barry), they’ve got something out there they have offered and it’s up to the Red Wings to decide.”
As for Larkin — who’ll miss at least the first two games of Detroit’s season with an upper-body ailment — Friedman thinks a long-term reconciliation is not in the cards. “I think they absolutely have talked about (making it work), I’ve just heard it’s really unlikely,” he said.
Edvinsson, of course, is not the only RFA defenceman currently sitting on the sidelines while his team plays. Alexander Nikishin and the Stanley Cup-champion Carolina Hurricanes still can’t find common ground when it comes to an outcome that will end their standoff. Friedman acknowledged it remains a murky situation.
“There’s been some noise about, could this be coming to an end,” he said. “It’s tough to tell. … As far as I can tell, some of that noise was created because the new agent, Paul Theofanous, was doing some work catching up on the file, so I think because he was poking around and asking around a lot, things had kicked up. So it’s hard for me to tell it’s actually close or he’s just catching himself up.”
Maybe, on the heels of the Marchenko deal, the NHL will see another blockbuster move involving a Russian player before too long.