Trade chatter has followed Matthew Knies ever since the final days leading up to the trade deadline in March, and despite new management now being in charge of the Toronto Maple Leafs, that buzz doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.
Former GM Brad Treliving was reportedly one minute away from sending Knies to the rival Montreal Canadiens, and now new GM John Chayka seems to be just as willing to move the star winger.
TSN insider Darren Dreger spoke about the speculation surrounding Knies, emphasizing that it’s very real and that a trade could go down sometime soon if Chayka receives the right offer.
“Yeah, rightfully so, and depending on who you talk to, there are a number of NHL executives out there who believe that Matthew Knies will be traded. I don’t think you’re going to get anything as definitive as that from the Maple Leafs at this point, but John Chayka is definitely doing his due diligence, as are other clubs.
But again, there’s a belief that the Leafs are at least willing to trade Matthew Knies. The conversations are ongoing with multiple teams with considerable interest in Knies, so we’ll have to see how that develops,”
The 23-year-old Knies will be entering year two of the six-year, $46.5 million extension he signed with the Maple Leafs just last June, which of course includes no trade protection whatsoever until 2030-2031. He tallied a career-high 66 points (23 goals, 43 assists) in 79 games played in 2025-26.
Dreger has since mentioned the New York Rangers, along with the Canadiens, as just a few of the many teams that have expressed interest in Knies.
Last season was undoubtedly a disaster for Toronto, and it’s clear Chayka is not going to be shy about remaking the roster to his own liking, no matter if it means moving a fan favorite like Knies.
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