Matthew Knies scored twice and added an assist in his Columbus Blue Jackets debut, a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

Knies, 23, was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday in a six-player trade that sent Kirill Marchenko to Toronto. He became the first Blue Jackets player to score twice in his debut.

His three points tied the franchise record for a debut, set by Artemi Panarin with three assists in 2017. Knies opened his account with a power-play goal late in the first period.

Charlie Coyle added three assists, Zach Werenski had two, and Jet Greaves made 23 saves. Cole Sillinger, Adam Fantilli, Sean Monahan and Mathieu Olivier also scored for Columbus.

It was the Blue Jackets’ first season-opening win in five years. Mattias Samuelsson, Jack Quinn and Konsta Helenius scored for Buffalo.

We have just got to keep taking steps forward, Knies said. There is a lot of potential in this room.

Why it matters: Knies’ instant impact suggests the blockbuster trade could reshape both teams’ seasons.