On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets will face one another for the first time since their blockbuster trade involving forwards Kirill Marchenko and Matthew Knies.
So far, Marchenko has produced 10 points in 10 games for the Maple Leafs, including his first hat trick with the club. Meanwhile, Knies has only a single assist in his last several games after scoring twice in his Blue Jackets debut earlier in the month.
Marchenko returns to Nationwide Arena in Columbus for the first time since the trade to face the team that he would not firmly commit to remaining with during Training Camp. What are the Jackets planning for him?
Will The Blue Jackets Honor Former Forward Kirill Marchenko, Now With The Toronto Maple Leafs?
On Tuesday, the Maple Leafs pay a visit to Nationwide Arena for the first time since they made a blockbuster trade with one another.
It will mark the return of Kirill Marchenko to Columbus, where he would not commit to remaining beyond the current season last month in Training Camp when he was still a member of the team.
Per a report from NHL Insider Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the Jackets plan on acknowledging Marchenko with a “moment” rather than a full-on tribute video.
“CBJ will have a welcome back ‘moment’ for Kirill Marchenko tonight in Nationwide Arena, but not a full-blown welcome back ‘video,’” Portzline wrote on X. “Seems like the right lane. Feelings still raw.”
The opening puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
John Chayka: Marchenko Wanted To Join “World Class” Organization
Not long after the trade was completed, Maple Leafs GM John Chayka appeared to take a jab at the Blue Jackets by saying that Marchenko wanted to join a “word class” organization.
“I think the most simple way I can put it is there’s a lot of good players in the NHL, (but) very few that can impact winning and can singlehandedly dictate the outcome of games,” said Chayka shortly after the trade was completed. “We believe Kirill is one of these players for us. You’ve got to give up quality to get quality, and we gave up some quality people and quality players.
“He was a player that wasn’t willing to just go anywhere. He wants to win. He wants to be part of a world-class organization.”
Blue Jackets Announce Plans For Leafs’ Kirill Marchenko