Kirill Marchenko has been pencilled in as the left winger on the top line for the Toronto Maple Leafs, even though he's been a right winger thus far in his NHL career for the most part. However, he has stressed that it doesn't matter to him where he plays, and this is why.
Kirill Marchenko's tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs is still less than a week old, since being traded to the team on Monday from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He's been getting accustomed to the team as best he can, jumping into action with a back-to-back and no practice time with his new team.
On Friday, the 26-year-old was able to have his first practice with the Maple Leafs. He continued to be positioned on the left wing of Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic on Toronto's top line.
For the majority of his time in Columbus and his NHL career, Marchenko was a right winger. Based on where he's been slotted since joining the Maple Leafs, there have been some questions about his comfort level.
But according to the player, there are no issues with where he's playing on the top line. In fact, playing the off-side on the left wing might even be his preference.
"I am from Russia, guys. In Russia, I grew up for left winger until 22," Marchenko said after practice. "And it's kind of my side, actually, for full life. Only on NHL I start to play right."
It's true, many star Russian wingers do play on their off-side. Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin, and Alexander Ovechkin are just a few examples of top Russians who play on the opposite wing of their handedness.
When Marchenko explains that he's played the left wing until coming into the NHL, that would be referencing his time with St. Petersburg in the KHL, playing three full seasons there from 2019-20 to 2021-22.
"It's kind of a little different sometimes, but the game right now is so fast, and it's a lot of changes. Sometimes I'm in the middle, sometimes I'm on the right. It doesn't matter for me, and I'm just happy to play," he added.
While playing the left wing full-time in the NHL may be a new look for Marchenko - but not so much in his hockey career - playing the bumper position on the power play definitely is, and he admitted to that.
Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller has slotted Marchenko in the bumper position of Toronto's top power-play unit, which also includes Darren Raddysh at the point, William Nylander and Auston Matthews on the flanks, and John Tavares as the net-front presence.
"Yeah, again, it's a new experience for me because usually I play on the wing," Marchenko said. "But again, we have a lot of rotation right now. Try to build chemistry and power play again too because we had a lot of skill there. A lot of skill guys and they helped me and we find the ways how we can score. If we score the goals, I don't care where I need to play."
Marchenko is gearing up for his third game for the Maple Leafs on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators. He posted an assist in his debut on Tuesday, but is looking for his first goal with the team.
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