What Kirill Marchenko and the Blue Jackets are thinking before Tuesday’s game

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Kirill Marchenko lit that deafening Columbus goal cannon 50 times at Nationwide Arena as a Blue Jacket, in four seasons with 208 total points. 

But Tuesday night, there will be a few former teammates and fans taking aim at him in his first game back since forcing a trade out of town. 

He’s off to a good start as a Maple Leaf — rate him 10 out of 10, at least in points in Toronto games — and while the departed Matthew Knies has been quieter, Marchenko’s reception will likely generate a different kind of reception than when Knies comes back to Scotiabank Arena on Nov. 21. 

What reception can Marchenko expect?

“I don’t know about my emotions; it’s my first time in this position,” Marchenko said after assisting on the Leafs winning goal Monday night against San Jose. “It’s interesting. I’ll try and focus on my game. It’s just another game, but it will be a special night.” 

Everyone involved in the fast-breaking late September trade of the elite wingers — Jackets general manager Don Waddell, coach Ric Bowness, Marchenko and high-profile agent Daniel Milstein — has tried to be publicly civil about the circumstances. Waddell told Milstein he wouldn’t deal Marchenko just because he was refusing to sign an extension beyond this season, which was a blow to Columbus’s hopes to keep building with the second-round pick they’d invested many years in. 

Montreal and Boston, two teams interested in Marchenko, would not give up the established top-six forward Waddell sought instead of picks and prospects. New Toronto GM John Chayka was dangling Knies; then both execs had to make the salary cap aspect work with extra bodies. For Marchenko, it hinged on the Leafs giving him that desired big ticket, six years at $75 million US. 

How does Columbus feel about the deal?

Bowness, who has been quite vocal about making the Jackets a more committed team after last season’s spring collapse – Marchenko was one of those who went cold — was recently asked by a Columbus radio station to break down the trade. 

“I have nothing but respect for Kirill; he’s just an outstanding hockey player, he really is.  He’s got tremendous skills and we wish him nothing but the best.  

“But the bottom line is, he didn’t want to be here and wasn’t going to be here much longer. So, if you talk to any player on any professional hockey team, the only people they want in that locker room are guys who want to be there and want to be part of the team. 

‘That’s something we wanted to emphasize at the start of the season. We want players who are proud to put that jersey on. Kirill had his own reasons, whatever they were, why he was not going to sign, so Don made a great trade for Knies.” 

Marchenko had no comment upon hearing that, praising Bowness as “a good coach … we had a good time together. I appreciate everyone in Columbus. Now I’m in Toronto, a new step. 

“I don’t know what (Jackets’ fans) will do tomorrow; that’s out of my control. It’s more important for two points.” 

How has Knies performed so far with the Jackets?

Knies started in Ohio with a bang, three points in a 6-3 win over Buffalo, an assist the next night against Utah. But in five games since then, nada, with few shots on goal. Marchenko didn’t get really hot, considering the high-flying company he keeps on the Leafs offence, until a hat trick versus Buffalo last week. 

Bowness, who got a burly winger two years younger than Marchenko and on a much cheaper contract, is thinking big picture. 

“They’re different types of players. Knies is bigger, not as skilled, but not far off. But we got a guy who wants to be here and is proud to be a Blue Jacket. You can’t say enough about that. 

“He’s a really good fit (with various aspects of Columbus’s blueprint). That being said, you have to give that some time to develop chemistry. It’s going to take a couple of months, but what we see here is a kid who loves being here. He’s a real good teammate and an excellent worker.” 

Tuesday is Toronto’s first home-road back-to-back. 

“I’m sure the hat trick game really pumped (Marchenko) up,” Leafs coach Jim Hiller said Monday. “We have to go in there and play really hard on a back-to-back with him on our mind. Because we’re super glad to have him and have to go in there and play for him.” 

Lhornby@postmedia.com 

X: @sunhornby 

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