Matthew Knies: The CH doesn’t have what other teams are discussing with the Maple Leafs

Félix Forget
Matthew Knies: The CH doesn’t have what other teams are discussing with the Maple Leafs
Credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

For the past few months, Matthew Knies has been making headlines in Montreal. We've learned that the Leafs forward could very well have ended up with the Habs last March… and that a trade between the two clubs was finalized just one minute too late.

We'll never know what the 2025–26 Habs could have accomplished with Knies, hehe.

The question was whether Kent Hughes would try again this summer. The Maple Leafs have since changed GMs, but Knies is apparently still available.

In fact, it's interesting to note that Nick Kypreos, who has inside sources in Toronto, discussed the Knies situation on The FAN. And from what we gather by listening to him, the Leafs are currently asking for a top-pair defenseman, a first-round pick, and a role player in exchange for Knies.

And that, in reality, is something the Habs can't really afford to offer… because they don't really have anything to give.

It seems clear that, unlike at the last trade deadline, the Maple Leafs are focused elsewhere and aren't necessarily looking for prospects anymore. A top-pair defenseman isn't really something the Habs can offer.

It's widely agreed that Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson aren't going anywhere, after all. That means that unless Mike Matheson (who just signed a contract extension in Montreal) or David Reinbacher (who has played only two NHL games) fall into that category, the Habs can't really offer that.

And even though the Habs could, in theory, offer a first-round pick, Kypreos seems to be implying that we're talking about a much higher pick. The Leafs would like to have another pick just after the top 10 to try to add another top prospect (in addition to the one they'll draft with the first overall pick).

The Canadiens' 28th pick doesn't exactly fit the profile outlined by Kypreos, who's talking about a pick somewhere between the 10th and 12th overall. And it's interesting to look into this further.

We know that the Devils (12th pick) have been open to trading Dougie Hamilton for the past few years (and Simon Nemec's name has also been floating around for the past few months). And the Predators, who hold the 10th pick, have Roman Josi on their roster.

Are these offers currently on the table for the Maple Leafs? Because if so, the Habs could very well see Knies slip through their fingers… simply because they don't have the assets to compete with such offers.


In a Nutshell

– Speaking of Knies.

– Worth a read.

– That's great.

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