Kirill Marchenko could make his Leafs debut tonight, adding intrigue to a packed opening-night NHL betting slate
Word out of Toronto is that new shiny toy Kirill Marchenko is working through customs, and the goal is to get him into the lineup for tonight’s opener between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.
The Leafs swung the massive trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets yesterday, sending power forward Matthew Knies, defenceman Emil Andrae, forward Steven Lorentz, and a second-round pick to Columbus for Marchenko, forward Miles Wood and goalie Elvis Merzlikins.
“There’s a lot of good players in the NHL, but there are very few that can impact winning and can single-handedly dictate outcomes of games,” said Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka. “We believe Kirill is one of those players. You have to give up quality to get quality.”
It’s tough to see how that impacts futures lines going into the season, since sportsbooks don’t have much to go on beyond educated guessing.
The Leafs were a car wreck last season, going 32-36, last in the Atlantic Division, and fifth-last in the NHL overall. They won the draft lottery and selected Gavin McKenna, who, at 18, made the big club coming out of training camp and looks set to start on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander.
Does Marchenko, a right winger, start in place of Knies on the first line with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic, if he makes it in time for the game?
In NHL betting at Betway, the Leafs are +2800 to win the Stanley Cup. The Leafs are still -135 to go over 95.5 points, just like they were last week.
That brings us to tonight, with the 2026-27 season opening on five fronts.
Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes
The Florida Panthers open up in Raleigh, North Carolina, against the defending Cup champion Hurricanes, at 5 p.m. EST.
At Betway, the Hurricanes are -125 moneyline favourites, with the Panthers at +105. The Hurricanes are 1.5-goal favourites (+175) on the puckline, with the Panthers at +1.5 (-225). The total is 6.5 (Over is +105, Under is -125).
My Best Bet: I like the Hurricanes moneyline (-130). Carolina was 29-10-2 at home last season, and while the Panthers are greatly improved, including the return of Alexander Barkov and the trade for Brady Tkachuk, the Hurricanes have brought back the core of their Cup-winning team.
Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs
The Habs are in Toronto to play the Leafs, as said, with puck drop at 7 p.m. EST.
At Betway, the Canadiens and Leafs are both -110 on the moneyline. Toronto is +200 to cover the -1.5-goal puckline, while Montreal is -275 at +1.5. The total is set at 6.5 goals, with the Over at -105 and the Under at -115.
So, it’s a true pick’em game. The Habs have the same core in place that took them one step from the Stanley Cup finals last spring. Toronto is integrating a dramatically rebuilt roster, and I don’t know if Auston Matthews can recapture the MVP form he displayed a few years ago.
My Best Bet: I was leaning toward the Canadiens ML -110, but if Marchenko makes it through customs and plays, I’m off that and will take Under 6.5 (-115).
Leafs goalie and future Hall of Famer Sergei Bobrovsky is motivated to show people he still has it at 38, and that he’s worth every penny of that 3-year, $21 million contract the Leafs gave him.
New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins
The New York Rangers open at TD Garden in Boston against the Bruins at 8 p.m. EST.
At Betway, the Bruins are -110 on the moneyline, and the Rangers are +110. The Bruins are 1.5-goal favourites (+200) on the puckline, with the Rangers at +1.5 (-275). The total is 5.5 (Over is -130, Under is +110).
Boston was a playoff team last year. New York was not. Charlie McAvoy is suspended, which knocks the Bruins down a notch, but the Rangers’ roster, aside from Pavel Dorofeyev, still looks thinner after a poor season.
My Best Bet: Bruins ML, the cleanest play here.
Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers
The Vancouver Canucks open their season in Edmonton against the Oilers, with game time at 10 p.m. EST.
At Betway, the Oilers are -330 on the moneyline, and the Canucks are +260. The Oilers are 1.5-goal favourites (-135) on the puckline, with the Canucks at +1.5 (+105). The total is 6.5 (Over is -115, Under is -105).
This one is fascinating for a slew of reasons, but first and foremost is how the Oilers respond to their new coach, the controversial Mike Babcock. Press reports out of Edmonton say they’ve responded quite well, winning all four preseason games.
My Best Bet: Over 6.5 goals. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl line up at home against a Vancouver team that finished last in the league last season. Feels like a 5-2 or 6-2 Edmonton win, especially with goalie Thatcher Demko still on IR for Vancouver after hip surgery, and the team having to go with Kevin Lankinen (who had a .875 save percentage last season).
Chicago Blackhawks vs Vegas Golden Knights
The Chicago Blackhawks open their season in Las Vegas against the Golden Knights, with game time at 10:30 p.m. EST.
At Betway, the Knights are -250 on the moneyline, and the Hawks are +200. The Golden Knights are 1.5-goal favourites (-105) on the puckline, with the Blackhawks at +1.5 (-120). The total is 5.5 (Over is -140, Under is +110).
Vegas remains built around a veteran core led by Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone and Shea Theodore, although replacing leading goal scorer Dorofeyev is one of the early questions.
Chicago is still a young, rebuilding team but added experience with the return of Patrick Kane and the acquisition of defenceman Bowen Byram. The Blackhawks face a major challenge tonight without Connor Bedard, who is sidelined following shoulder surgery and isn’t expected back until November.
My Best Bet: Golden Knights -1.5. Vegas is coming off a Stanley Cup Final run, and the Hawks face a significant talent drop-off with Bedard sidelined. Lots of value on that puckline.
