The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired left wing Matthew Knies, defenseman Emil Andrae, center Steven Lorentz and a conditional second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for right wing Kirill Marchenko, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and left wing Miles Wood, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
The Blue Jackets made two additional roster moves today, placing defenseman Damon Severson on the Injured Non-Roster list and loaning forward Jack Williams to the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters.
Knies, 23, recorded 67 goals and 93 assists for 160 points, 119 penalty minutes, with 11-22-33 on the power play, 11 game-winning goals, 505 hits and 411 shots on goal, while averaging 16:56 of ice time in 240 career games with the Maple Leafs. He has registered consecutive 20-goal and 50-point seasons during his first three NHL campaigns. The winger was originally selected by Toronto in the second round, 57th overall, at the 2021 NHL Draft.
“Matthew is a big, strong power forward who combines tough, hard-nosed physical play with outstanding offensive skills,” said Waddell. “He is a young player with great character and work ethic and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to the Blue Jackets family.”
The 6-2, 232-pound forward notched career highs in assists, points, power play goals and time on ice in 2025-26, finishing with 23-43-66, six power play tallies and 152 hits on 18:48 TOI in 79 appearances. He set single-season career highs in goals, game-winning goals, hits and shots on goal in 2024-25 with 29-29-58, six GWG, 182 hits and 152 shots on 18:31 TOI in 78 appearances in 2024-25. After making his NHL debut with Toronto during the 2022-23 campaign, Knies collected 15-20-35 and 45 PIM in 80 outings in 2023-24.
A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Knies played collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota from 2021-23, posting 36-39-75, 60 PIM and a cumulative +46 plus/minus rating in 73 appearances. He was a finalist for the 2022-23 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the country’s top NCAA men’s ice hockey player and named to the First All-American Team after posting 21-21-42 and 29 PIM in 40 contests with the Gophers. He represented the United States at the 2022 Olympic Games and the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships.
Andrae, 24, has registered 3-17-20, 38 penalty minutes with a cumulative +9 plus/minus rating, while averaging 16:02 TOI in 107 career NHL games over the past three seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. In 2025-26, he set career highs with 2-11-13, 22 PIM and was +15 in 61 outings. He has also notched 10-49-59 and 99 PIM in 103 career games with American Hockey League’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms over the past four campaigns.
The 5-9, 194-pound blueliner was selected by the Flyers in the second-round, 54th overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft. He was acquired by Toronto via trade on June 16, 2026.
A native of Vasterviks, Sweden, Andrae as played for Sweden in several international tournaments, including the 2021 and 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships. In the 2022 tournament, he helped his team capture a bronze medal and was named to the WJC All-Star Team after collecting 4-4-8 in seven contests.
Lorentz, 30, has registered 36-44-80 and 67 PIM in 381 career NHL games with the Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes over six NHL campaigns. He’s added 2-6-8 and 25 PIM in 45 career playoff games and helped the Panthers win the 2024 Stanley Cup. He was originally selected by Carolina in the seventh-round, 186th overall, at the 2015 NHL Draft.
The 6-4, 219-pound center tallied 7-11-18 and 16 PIM in 71 appearances with the Maple Leafs in 2025-26. He set career highs in assists and points (tied) in 2024-25 with 8-11-19 in 80 contests with Toronto. He tallied a career-high in goals with San Jose in 2022-23 with 10-9-19 in 80 outings.
A native of Kitchener, Ontario, Lorentz has added 26-29-55 and 60 PIM in 93 AHL games with the Charlotte Checkers from 2017-20 and won the 2019 Calder Cup. He skated for the Ontario Hockey League’s Peterborough Petes from 2013-17, collecting 75-89-164 and 97 PIM in 247 appearances.
“Emil is extremely competitive, works hard and has excellent vision and puck-moving skills, while Steven has great size and strength and plays with great energy. Both are competitive guys that will be great additions to our organization.”
Marchenko, 26, was selected by Columbus in the second-round, 49th overall, at the 2018 NHL Draft. He registered 102-106-208 and 82 PIM, while averaging 17:37 TOI in 292 games with the club over the past four seasons. The 6-3, 201-pound native of Barnaul, Russia registered 27-40-67 in 76 contests with the Blue Jackets in 2025-26, leading the team in goals and ranking second in assists and points.
Merzlikins, 32, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the third-round, 76th overall, at the 2014 NHL Draft. He appeared in 274 games with the team over the past seven seasons and posted a record of 108-111-38 with a 3.22 goals-against average (GAA), .900 save percentage (SV%) and 12 shutouts. He ranks second on the Blue Jackets’ all-time list in games played and wins. The 6-3, 190-pound native of Riga Latvia went 14-11-3 with a 3.40 GAA and .883 SV% in 30 games with Columbus in 2025-26.
Wood, 31, was originally selected by the New Jersey Devils in the fourth-round, 100th overall, at the 2013 NHL Draft. He has notched 99-97-196 and 576 PIM in 567 career games with the Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche and Devils over 11 NHL campaigns. The 6-2, 209-pound native of Buffalo, New York was acquired by Columbus as part of a trade from the Colorado Avalanche on June 27, 2025 and tallied 8-6-14 and 26 PIM in 54 contests in his lone season with the club.
"I'd like to thank, Elvis, Marchy and Miles for their contributions to our club and wish them well moving forward," said Waddell.
Columbus begins the 2026-27 campaign on Thursday, October 1 vs. Buffalo. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
