Moving Kirill Marchenko to line with John Tavares works for Maple Leafs

TORONTO — Even on one of the most memorable nights of his NHL career, Kirill Marchenko was his own harshest critic.

Marchenko had a hat trick in his 300th NHL game, including a spectacular highlight-reel goal, but he blamed himself for the Buffalo Sabres rallying past his Toronto Maple Leafs for a 5-4 overtime win on Thursday. Marchenko said that he was supposed to be marking Sabres defenceman Owen Power, who scored the winner 3:14 into the extra period.

“I will remember this night for sure, but it’s so, so bad, that we lost the game,” said Marchenko about having the fifth hat trick of his career. “A win, it’s more important, and I’m to blame because it’s my mistake in overtime.

“Good goals, but I want to win games more than that. I’ll just learn from that.”

Marchenko was traded by the Blue Jackets to Toronto on Sept. 28 in a blockbuster six-player trade that saw Matthew Knies dealt to Columbus. As part of that trade, Marchenko, who could have become a restricted free agent this coming off-season, agreed to a six-year, US$75 million contract with the Maple Leafs that begins in 2027.

He was put on Toronto’s top line with Auston Matthews to start the season, but struggled to click with the captain. Marchenko had a goal and five assists in his first seven games in a Maple Leafs sweater.

Head coach Jim Hiller decided to shake up his forwards before Thursday’s game against Buffalo. He bumped William Nylander up to the top line with Matthews and put Marchenko on John Tavares’s wing.

“It’s a lot of skill with Matthews and with John Tavares too. I’m so excited play with both these guys,” said Marchenko before the game. “It kind of doesn’t matter for me. I’m so excited. We’re all nervous, but it’s so funny. It’s so funny.

“It’s unbelievable how the guys support me, help me. I just have to try to find chemistry together and do our best because our first goal is to win the games. If we can do that with John or with (Matthews), doesn’t matter. We need to win the games.”

Marchenko and Tavares quickly found that chemistry, including on a highlight-reel power-play goal in the first period.

Tavares passed from the slot to Marchenko as he skated backwards across the Sabres’ crease. Marchenko slid the puck between his own legs and then flipped it past Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for a 2-1 lead 13:10 into the game.

“I mean those were big-time goals, right?” said Hiller. “(Marchenko’s) got that dynamicism for sure, and we’re going to need that.

“You knew it was going to come sooner or later, right? That’s what it is. You can’t be that talented and not score.”

That chemistry was extinguished in the third period when Tavares was injured after falling awkwardly after a collision with Buffalo forward Josh Norris. Tavares lay on the ice for a minute before skating off, appearing to favour his left leg.

Tavares did not return to the ice and Hiller had no update on his condition after the game.

“He’s a great, great player but it’s hockey and it doesn’t matter what happens on the ice, we need to come back to the game and play our way and win the games,” said Marchenko on losing Tavares. “I hope Johnny feel great, feel fine right now.”

Marchenko wasn’t even aware that it was his 300th game in the NHL until a reporter asked him about it at Toronto’s morning skate on Thursday.

“Every time when you’re asked like, ‘How’s your career going?’ It’s a good career, but I hope it will be better, and I can be better, for sure,” said Marchenko. “What I can say right now is that I don’t think about 300 games.

“I just think about my game, about team game, and about Buffalo today.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press