Overview
- Matthew Knies was the centerpiece of a late pre-season trade from Toronto to Columbus that also sent Emil Andrae, Steven Lorentz and a 2027 second-round pick to the Blue Jackets in exchange for Kirill Marchenko, Elvis Merzlikins and Miles Wood.
- Knies opened his Blue Jackets career on Oct. 1 with two goals and an assist in a 6–3 home win over the Buffalo Sabres, setting a franchise mark for goals in a debut and tying the team debut points record.
- Knies’ first goal came on a first-period power play and his second was a second-period tip-in, and he was named the game’s first star as fans greeted him on the team’s blue carpet and at autograph events.
- Columbus acquired Knies on a long-term, team-friendly deal reported to lack trade protection, a structure the club says lowers risk while giving the team a top-six winger to play with Adam Fantilli.
- Toronto has already signed Kirill Marchenko to a long extension after the trade, leaving the swap as a clear contrast between Toronto’s big-ticket commitment and Columbus’s focus on low-cost, long-term asset control.