Merzlikins was acquired from the Blue Jackets as a part of the Kirill Marchenko trade, and is reportedly not a part of the Maple Leafs' goaltending plans. They won't have to make a decision on him for roughly three months, as GM John Chayka said he'll need at least that much time as he continues to rehab from offseason shoulder surgery.
Marchenko was acquired from the Blue Jackets last night but still needs to complete the work visa process in order to be available for Tuesday's season opener vs. the Canadiens. If Marchenko can't play, expect Easton Cowan to take on a larger role for Toronto.
The Maple Leafs acquired Marchenko from the Blue Jackets on Monday night and part of deal was a new contract for Marchenko, who is in the final year of a three-year deal that carries a $3.85M cap-hit. Marchenko, who is coming off 27 goals and 40 assists (67 points) is expected to start on a line with either Auston Matthews or John Tavares and could replace Jack Roslovic on PP1.
Ottawa will be without one of their toughest players to begin the 2026-27 season after they announced Kurtis MacDermid begin the year on the injured/non-roster player list due to an upper-body injury. The 32-year-old bruising forward last scored in the NHL in 2023-24 with Colorado, having appeared in over 58 games since he last found the back of the net.
Foegele failed to appear in any of Ottawa's preseason games and will start the 2026-27 regular season as an injured/non-roster player due to an undisclosed injury. The 30-year-old left-winger is entering his 10th NHL season and first full season in Ottawa after picking up six goals, eight points and 27 SOG in 21 games with the Senators after being acquired from Los Angeles at last years' trade deadline.
Merzlikins time in Columbus has come to an end after seven up-and-down seasons, after the team announced Monday that they had traded the goaltender (with 18% salary retained) alongside Miles Wood and Kirill Marchenko to Toronto for Emil Andrae, Matthew Knies, Steven Lorentz, and a 2027 2nd-round pick (SEA). After multiple trade requests, Merzlikins leaves Columbus second all-time in team wins behind his new counterpart, Sergei Bobrovsky. He is expected to start the season on the non-roster/injured list after offseason shoulder surgery and is without a timeline to return.
Wood was placed on waivers on Sunday and found a new home Monday when Columbus announced they had traded the 31-year-old winger to Toronto alongside Kirill Marchenko and Elvis Merzlikins (18% retained salary) to Toronto for Emil Andrae, Matthew Knies, Steven Lorentz, and a 2027 2nd-round pick (SEA). Wood spent one season in Columbus, picking up eight goals, 14 points and 26 PIMs. He is expected to battle for a bottom-six role with the Maple Leafs this season.
Andrae's time in Toronto was short-lived after the Maple Leafs dealt the 24-year-old defensemen before he ever appeared in a game alongside Matthew Knies, Steven Lorentz, and a 2027 2nd-round pick (SEA), to Columbus for Kirill Marchenko, Miles Wood, and Elvis Merzlikins (18% salary retained). Andrae is entering his third NHL season after spending the last two in Philadelphia, where he put up three goals, 20 points and 38 PIMs in 103 games played across the last two seasons.
A day after being placed on waivers, Steven Lorentz has found himself a new home in Columbus after it was announced Monday that he had been traded alongside Matthew Knies, Emil Andrae and a 2027 2nd-round pick (SEA) to Columbus for Kirill Marchenko, Miles Wood, and Elvis Merzlikins (some retained salary). The 30-year-old bottom-six forward is entering his seventh NHL season with his fifth different team after putting up seven goals, 18 points and 16 PIMs in 2025-26 with Toronto.
Marchenko had expressed his displeasure in continuing to play for the Blue Jackets organization and now finds himself a member of the Maple Leafs on Monday, after Toronto acquired him alongside Miles Wood and Elvis Merzlikins (18% retained salary) from Columbus for Emil Andrae, Matthew Knies, Steven Lorentz, and a 2nd-round pick. Immediately after signing, the 26-year-old signed a six-year, $12.5 million AAV contract extension ($75M total). Across the last two seasons, he has averaged 29 goals and 71 points and should slot right into Toronto's top-six.
After three strong seasons in Toronto, Matthew Knies time as a Maple Leaf is up after Columbus acquired the 23-year-old power forward alongside Steven Lorentz, Emil Andrae, and a 2027 2nd-round pick (SEA) from Toronto for Kirill Marchenko, Miles Wood, and Elvis Merzlikins (some salary retained). Knies hit career highs in assists (43), points (66), PPP (16) and TOI/GP (18:48) across 79 games played in 2025-26 but had a glaringly ugly -30 plus/minus. He is now expected to play a key role in Columbus' top-six.
Pinchuk has been assigned to Milwaukee (AHL) despite a decently strong preseason and a clause in his contract which allows the 24-year-old to return to the KHL if demoted. Pinchuk earned himself to a one-year, entry-level contract in April after placing third in the KHL in goals (31) and sixth in points (66) in 65 games played with Dinamo Minsk (KHL) last season.
Faber suffered an upper-body injury in Friday's preseason game and has been retroactively placed on Injured Reserve. He will miss at least one regular-season game before he is eligible to return to the lineup. The 24-year-old Faber had a career-high season in 2025-26, playing predominantly alongside Quinn Hughes and scoring 51 points (15G / 36A) in 80 games.
Utah received unpleasant news on Monday after the team announced that 22-year-old defenseman Maveric Lamoureux would miss the next 4-6 months after undergoing successful surgery on a dislocated shoulder. Lamoureux was Utah's 2022 1st round pick (29th overall) and was fighting for a chance to crack the Mammoths' opening-night roster after appearing in five games for Utah last season.
Timmins has struggled to stay healthy at the NHL level, failing to surpass 52 games played in all but one of his seven seasons and will start the 2026-27 campaign on Injured Reserve with a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old appeared in 39 games for the Sabres last season, picking up eight assists, 18 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus.
Edmundson battled injury through training camp but returned to practice on Monday. That said, following practice, Head Coach Peter Laviolette said that Edmundson is still day-to-day. The 33-year-old Edmundson is entering his third season with the Kings. He had 23 points (2G / 21A) last season in 82 games.
Rust will begin the 2026-27 season sidelined, as he recovers from an upper-body injury. The 34-year-old Rust matched a career high with 65 points (29G / 36A) in 72 games last season. Penguins' newcomer Nicholas Robertson has a chance to see an elevated role during Rust's absence.
Although DeBrusk missed practice on Monday, Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra said he will travel with the team, which is an encouraging sign. The 29-year-old DeBrusk was slated to open the season on Vancouver's top line alongside Elias Pettersson and Jonathan Lekkerimaki.
