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Insider Clears Up Big Misconception About Matthew Knies Trade

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Mar 13, 2026 11:35 AM ET

There was a lot of talk immediately after the trade deadline about Matthew Knies and whether the Toronto Maple Leafs were seriously considering a trade that would send him elsewhere. It sounded like the kind of news story that had to be made up. Why would Toronto trade one of their best players and likely the top young forward? After all, if the team is going to build around anyone, it might be him.

In an effort to clear up some of the haze surrounding the speculation, TSN’s Chris Johnston and Darren Dreger were on TSN OverDrive and both offered updates on what they’d heard really went down.

“I think some of the talk about Matthew Knies being close to a deal has probably been overstated in certain circles. I don’t have the impression the Maple Leafs got right down to the final stages and then missed on a trade involving him,” said Johnston

Johnston added, if you look at it logically, there are reasons why teams would ask about Knies. He doesn’t have any trade protection, and he’s probably one of the Leafs’ most valuable assets. Some of their other big players have more control over where they go, so the market isn’t always as open. Given how the season has gone, it made sense for Toronto to at least listen and get a sense of his value.

He noted that he has no reason to believe they got close to actually completing a deal. Everything was effectively on the table in terms of discussions, but it was more about listening than seriously moving him. That could always change down the road, depending on what happens in the offseason.

Dreger noted, “Every team has players who aren’t completely untouchable but are very close to it. Other general managers still call and ask the ‘what if’ question — like, ‘What if we put a big package together for Matthew Knies? Would you listen?’ That’s essentially what happened here.”

“Toronto was never shopping Matthew Knies,” he noted. He then said there’s a big difference between putting a player on the market and simply taking calls from teams asking what it would take.

For Maple Leafs fans worried that Toronto might trade Knies in the offseason, a trade is unlikely. It’s probably worth noting that all the deadline conversations really mean is that the organization was talking to other teams about every guy to assess value and see if anyone would massively overpay.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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