Why Kirill Marchenko needs to make a great first impression in Toronto

Not since the Doug Gilmour trade did a new star arrive so unexpectedly

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In the rush to judge Kirill Marchenko’s six-season value to the Maple Leafs by barely 20 minutes of ice time in his first game, a little perspective, please.

He’s set to be in Toronto longer than any currently contracted Leaf, whether he helps their return to the NHL playoffs this season or next, or becomes a rebuild block, alongside Tinus Luc Koblar, Ben Danford, Artur Akhtyamov and draft picks in a futuristic lineup.

If there were red flags raised by his wish to depart Columbus after his late-season slump, insinuations he wasn’t on the same page as the Blue Jackets’ old-school coach Rick Bowness, and at least one player saying it was time for him to exit if his heart wasn’t in Ohio, Marchenko tried to set the best impression possible Tuesday. He arrived, via private jet in the wee hours, to play in the Maple Leafs’ home opener on four hours sleep and no practice.

The Leafs have had a few purported franchise saviours come along, but not since the Doug Gilmour trade did a new star arrive so unexpectedly with the season underway, not to mention becoming the second highest paid Leaf after captain Auston Matthews.

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Marchenko had a first-shift assist, four shots on goal, and two more attempts with three and a half minutes on the power play. That was as a left winger, not on his accustomed right. After another home game Wednesday against the New York Islanders, he will get a needed breather, while examination of the trade for Matthew Knies can begin its due process.

A large media presence cornered him on Tuesday, after the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, to quiz him on the past 48 hours.

“Oh, it’s crazy,” Marchenko said, mentioning how his wife Viktoria had her world shaken as well, though she is thrilled for his big move. “I’m happy to be here now, everything is done. I lost, but this night was a great memory for me.”

In one dizzying day, he went from hearing the booming U.S. Civil War goal cannon at Nationwide Arena to the bagpipes of the 48th Highlanders in the Leafs preamble. The Scotiabank Arena game operations crew hustled to get his image in Toronto colours, with his No. 86, to project on the ice when he was introduced with teammates amid pyrotechnics and smoke.

Fans were fond of Knies, but didn’t hold back applause for the winger whom Matthews once called “the best unknown player in the league”.

But the Blue Jackets failed to make the playoffs in Marchenko’s five years of 20-plus goals, which would be much harder to ignore if that stretches to six or seven with the Leafs. We put it to a couple of parties with vested interests whether the increased pressure will bring out the best in him and put talk of his indifference in Columbus aside.

“Kirill’s motivation comes from within,” said agent Dan Milstein. “The spotlight in Toronto is bigger, but the focus stays the same, work hard and help the team win.

“He has nothing but respect for Columbus and is looking forward to winning with the Leafs.”

Head coach Jim Hiller spent much of camp wanting to get about a dozen new Leafs comfortable in Toronto, including No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna. Now comes Marchenko, but Hiller believes he’s going to feed off the city’s hockey passion, including its fans, and vice-versa.

“I don’t think he’ll over-think that part of it,” Hiller said Wednesday. “He’s really focused on his on-ice play and that will probably help him.

“My early impression is that he’s happy and excited. I was just talking to Auston about him and he gets a good feeling about it, too. He asks lots of questions and is really into the game.”

Of course, Marchenko and Milstein had also been keen on whether Columbus could get a deal with Montreal, another Original Six team that has returned to Cup contention, with the lure of the Russian winger playing alongside good friend Ivan Demidov. Those talks, which at one time paralleled the Habs’ interest in Knies, broke down with Montreal unable to give what Columbus general manager Don Waddell wanted, an NHL-ready thoroughbred instead of picks and prospects.

Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has also upped the ante by opening the vault for Marchenko’s $12.5 million AAV when Knies had a lengthy, team-friendly $7.75 million deal to run. Chayka, Marchenko, Milstein or all three convinced the accountants at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to make the financial leap of faith.

“It was a big commitment from Edward Rogers and Keith Pelley, that’s important for fans to know,” Chayka said after Marchenko had signed his extension. “That allowed us to execute a transaction like this, which was pretty complicated. It was a player that wasn’t just willing to go anywhere, he wants to win and be part of a world-class organization.”

Marchenko now has six seasons to make that happen.

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