The Maple Leafs gave up too much in this trade, and John Chayka needs to explain why

Matthew Knies needed one night to win over the Blue Jackets' workhorse on the blue line. Two goals and an assist will speed that up.

The Blue Jackets opened their season Thursday night with a 6-3 home win over the Buffalo Sabres. Their newest winger was all over the scoresheet.

Knies scored on the power play, then added the game-winner. He put four shots on goal in 16:06 of ice time.

Zachary Werenski noticed. Speaking on NHL Network later that night, the Columbus defenseman went out of his way to praise the newcomer.

"Great having him here. Going against him was always tough. I'm happy he's on our side. I think he will fit in great," Werenski said.

"Big body, plays hard," he added. "It is definitely early, but I like what he brings to our team."

Let's say this John Chayka trade is not aging well, and some fans are very furious.

Don Waddell's big forward bet pays off on night one

Werenski backed the words up on the ice. He had two assists, one on the power play, while logging 28:46, the heaviest workload on the Columbus back end.

The money matters here. The winger carries a $7,750,000 cap hit, third-largest on the roster behind Adam Fantilli and the defenseman who just vouched for him.

For a 23-year-old with the frame Werenski described, that's the right price. Columbus made a smart call paying it, and Thursday was the first receipt.

Still, the defenseman said it himself. One game is a first date, not a wedding, and nobody books the hall after one good dinner.

Is one night enough for Rick Bowness to bump him up? Only Charlie Coyle and Fantilli saw more ice than him among Columbus forwards.

Coyle was the quiet engine. He finished with three assists, including one shorthanded, while Mathieu Olivier scored a shorthanded goal of his own.

Sean Monahan also cashed in on the power play, and Cole Sillinger chipped in a goal. Jet Greaves stopped 23 of 26 shots for the win.

At the other end, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen gave up five goals on 22 shots. Tage Thompson put four pucks on net and walked away empty.

The Sabres get their next crack at the newcomer on November 6 in Buffalo. They'll need a better plan than the one they brought Thursday.

First, the Blue Jackets host Utah on Saturday. Then comes a long gap on the schedule before Pittsburgh visits on October 9.

Knies won't sneak up on anybody now. Utah will have the tape, and Werenski's "definitely early" line is going to age one way or the other.

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