The Toronto Maple Leafs play their 2026-27 season opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
This comes just one day after they made a blockbuster trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets to acquire star winger Kirill Marchenko.
Now, as the Maple Leafs prepare for their season opener against the Canadiens, they have announced some notable news regarding Marchenko.
Kirill Marchenko Officially Making Maple Leafs Debut vs. Canadiens
One of the biggest questions leading up to Toronto’s season opener against the Canadiens was if Marchenko would be able to play or not. This is because the team was unsure if he would be able to complete the work visa process in time.
Yet, now any worries about Marchenko not being able to play for Toronto on Tuesday can be forgotten.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Marchenko will officially be making his Maple Leafs debut in their season debut against Montreal.
This is great news for the Maple Leafs. Marchenko is expected to be a big part of their forward group and will be aiming to leave a good first impression.
Looking at Marchenko
Marchenko is undoubtedly a major addition for the Maple Leafs. The 26-year-old winger just had an excellent 2025-26 season with the Blue Jackets. In 76 games last season, he posted 27 goals and 67 points. He also had 31 goals and 74 points in 79 games during the 2024-25 season.
With numbers like these, Marchenko is a difference-maker when playing at his best. Now that he is joining a Maple Leafs team with more talent, it is fair to wonder if his production will go up.
Maple Leafs Announce Big Kirill Marchenko News Before Season Opener