Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs' Forward Trade Hinging on ‘Massive Offer’

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Mar 6, 2026 10:21 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs entered the season expecting to build on an Atlantic Division title and aiming at making a deep postseason run.

Instead, the Leafs are carrying a six-game losing streak into Friday's NHL trade deadline and fielding calls across the roster.

General manager Brad Treliving has already moved Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for two draft picks, and he is expected to deal pending free agents, including Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton, as well as defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Carlo.

Given the lost season, with Toronto eight points away from the wild-card places in the Eastern Conference, the organization’s direction seems to have shifted toward accumulating futures rather than landing win-now players.

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) waits for a face-off.Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, that philosophy is framing nearly every conversation ahead of the 3 p.m. ET deadline.

“Toronto is all about adding assets. Young players, prospects, picks,” Friedman wrote. “You name it, they want to hear about it. There aren’t a ton in the system, so they want to accumulate. Then, they can start figuring out their future — maybe use what they get to chase bigger fish.”

Friedman made clear that none of the Leafs' established superstars are in play.

“The chances of Auston Matthews getting traded now are equal to John Blutarsky’s grade-point average,” Friedman wrote. “William Nylander and John Tavares aren’t going anywhere.”

Stuff we're hearing:https://t.co/bcDPbirS62
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 5, 2026

That said, Friedman placed an unexpected Leafs player into a different category. According to Friedman, up-and-coming forward Matthew Knies could be moved ahead of the deadline, although it'd take a "massive offer" for Toronto to pull the trigger.

“I heard some Matthew Knies, and that, to me, is the Maple Leafs seeing if there’s a massive offer they can’t turn down,” Friedman wrote. “That is the only way I see it happening.”

Knies is in the first season of a six-year, $46.5 million contract. He has 16 goals and 35 assists for 51 points in 60 games this season. While viewed as a key piece of Toronto’s future core, Friedman’s reporting suggests he is not entirely untouchable.

Toronto continues to listen while getting ready for its next game, scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. ET against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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