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Maple Leafs Turned Down Trade for Knies

Originally posted on Inside The Rink
By Jeremy Ridgewell | Last updated Mar 10, 2026 2:05 PM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly rejected a trade deal from the Montreal Canadiens at the deadline. According to Nick Kypreos on Real Kyper and Bourne, the Canadiens were in talks with the Maple Leafs, but once Matthew Knies‘ name was mentioned, Toronto GM Brad Treliving shut down the conversation.

Despite his name coming up in trade speculation, Knies is staying put. A deal for Knies would have only been made if the Canadiens offered something Treliving couldn’t turn down. Any team would love to have Knies, but the Leafs aren’t going to just give him away.

The 23-year-old Knies has been a bright spot in a rather dark season for Toronto. He has registered 16 goals and 35 assists for 51 points in 61 games. He also gives the Leafs an elite physical presence with 122 hits while averaging 18:45 in total ice time.

Kypreos didn’t elaborate on which other teams were looking at Knies, but Montreal was the more prominent due to their heated rivalry with Toronto that spans over a century.

It’s a rarity for these two teams to come together in a deal. Shipping a talented player like Knies to a rival would be something that completely shatters a longstanding narrative. Treliving obviously felt the deal wasn’t worth parting with Knies. Without any information regarding the pieces Montreal was willing to give Toronto, we’re unable to judge for ourselves.

Toronto Forward Paid No Attention to the Rumours

For Knies, the trade noise and rumours are something that simply comes with the territory of being a professional athlete. According to him, he was a little bit surprised to hear his name come up, but he’s not taking it personally.

His level of maturity is a rarity not seen in most younger players. Knies, recognizing that he could be a potential trade target, decided to focus on the games at hand. That shows he could be a leader in the near future.

Some players get worried or anxious about being traded. For some, that causes them to falter on the ice and not live up to expectations. Playing in Toronto comes with high expectations. However, Knies registered seven points in the nine games leading up to the trade deadline.

He clearly wasn’t bothered by the rumours and stuck to what he could control, his play on the ice. This wasn’t Knies’ first deadline rodeo. He’s been through two incredibly tense trade deadlines already in his short career, so he was prepared.

Knies is the Future of the Maple Leafs

Knies is a valuable trade asset, but he is also someone you can build around for the next decade. With concerns about whether or not Auston Matthews is sticking around past his next deal, Toronto has a future captain in Knies.

Knies made it through the NCAA ranks, then slowly climbed up the Leafs roster to become a top-six forward in Toronto. That’s inspirational for the players coming into the system after him. It shows them that if they work hard too, maybe they can make it.

His on-ice talents speak for themselves, but Knies is quickly making the right strides to be the future leader of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It seems that he’d have no problems putting the team on his shoulders and carrying them to success. That is, if he’s giving the opportunity.

There’s a reason why Montreal and others want him. The fact that Toronto said no gives hope for the future with this team.

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This article first appeared on Inside The Rink and was syndicated with permission.

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