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Toronto Right Now Going a 'Little Nuts' with This Montreal-Matthew Knies Thing

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Mar 16, 2026 12:33 PM ET

It’s been a few days, and things have calmed down a touch since the rumors first surfaced that the Montreal Canadiens were talking to the Toronto Maple Leafs about Matthew Knies. Still, the what-if idea is still fresh in people’s minds, and there is legitimate concern that, despite nothing getting close at the trade deadline, the Maple Leafs might move one of their best young pieces.

David Pagnotta said last week, Toronto right now is kinda “going a little nuts” with this whole Montreal-Matthew Knies thing. He added, “I don’t believe, because I’m not led to believe, that Knies is the guy that [Montreal] were really close on.”

That raises a whole new level of questions. First, if Toronto fans got this out of whack over a trade idea that never got close, what happens the rest of the season as the Maple Leafs ponder what went wrong and why they aren’t bound for the playoffs? Then, what comes next as the team reevaluates its roster and makes what could be franchise-altering changes starting as early as the NHL Entry Draft?

Finally, if Knies is ultimately traded, how much pressure will be on the player brought back in the deal? Whether it’s Michael Hage, or names like Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj, or anyone else from Montreal’s side, that’s a lot to live up to — being the guy that the organization traded a key asset for.

The other set of questions that stem from Pagnotta’s comments is the fact that it wasn’t Knies that Montreal was after.

Were the Canadiens Going After Someone Else?

There were hints that GM Kent Hughes was “close to something bigger”—were with different teams and different players. A deal for a right-shot defenseman was/is on the Canadiens’ radar. “The Habs were very, very close to getting a defenseman, a right-shot defenseman and not on an expiring contract.”

Chris Johnston explicitly separated the Knies rumors from the Canadiens’ potential blockbuster deal. He noted, “I don’t believe… people are erring by connecting the two. The deal that went down to the wire… and the fact that they had interest in Matthew Knies. I think it’s two separate things.” He confirmed Montreal did call Toronto about Knies, but “nothing went too far on that front.”

That’s exactly why Pagnotta said Toronto “is kinda going a little nuts” — they saw the Knies rumors exploding and knew the real near-miss was not for Toronto’s young power forward.

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

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