The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded forward Steven Lorentz of Kitchener, Ontario to the Columbus Blue Jackets according to Luke Fox of Rogers Sportsnet on Monday. In a blockbuster deal on the eve of the 2026-27 National Hockey League regular season, the Maple Leafs traded Lorentz, left winger Matthew Knies, defenseman Emil Andrae and a second round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft for right winger Kirill Marchenko, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and left winger Miles Wood.
Lorentz (pictured above with the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers) is joining his fifth NHL franchise. He was previously with the Carolina Hurricanes from 2020 to 2022, the San Jose Sharks from 2022 to 2023, the Florida Panthers when they won the Stanley Cup from 2023 to 2024, and the last two seasons with the Maple Leafs.
In 2025-26, Lorentz had seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 71 games with the Maple Leafs. He was a -2 with 16 penalty minutes, two shorthanded points, 70 shots on goal, 56 faceoff wins, 48 blocked shots, 154 hits, 17 takeaways and 34 giveaways.
Knies had 23 goals and 43 assists for 66 points in 79 games this past season, but was a terrible -30. Andrae had two goals and 11 assists for 13 points last season for the Philadelphia Flyers. Marchenko had 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points. Wood had eight goals and six assists for 14 points, and Merzlikins had a record of 14 wins, 11 regulation losses and three losses in extra time, one shutout, a goals against average of 3.40 and a save percentage of .883.
