Matthew Knies: “I don’t think John Chayka wants to trade him.”

Marc-Olivier Cook
Matthew Knies: “I don’t think John Chayka wants to trade him.”
Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

The Leafs were about to trade Matthew Knies at the last trade deadline.

But that… happened back when Brad Treliving was the GM in Toronto.

That said, it doesn't mean the new front office is interested in sending the American elsewhere. Not at all, in fact…

Darren Dreger (TSN) spoke with a few executives, and they all say the same thing: they don't believe John Chayka will trade Knies before the start of next season.

In Toronto, there are some very important decisions to be made… but the decision to keep Knies within the organization could turn out to be THE most important one. Because trading Knies might be difficult to explain if the team starts rebuilding… 

Matthew Knies is 23 years old and could be part of the long-term plans in the Queen City.

He has everything it takes to help that club get back on the path to success… and John Chayka certainly knows that too. Brad Treliving needed to do something to save his job last winter, and he was under pressure to make a trade.

That's not the case with Chayka, who has taken control of the team and can build it however he sees fit.

Never say never, but I, too, would be surprised to see Knies traded to another team in the coming days or weeks. The Leafs need to use him properly… and I tend to believe that trading him for prospects or draft picks isn't the way to do that.

But anyway.

If Chayka wants to trade him, then so be it. And I hope Kent Hughes will be keeping a close eye on the situation if that happens…


In a nutshell

– But with William Eklund now in Ottawa… will that idea die out?

– Corey Pronman takes a shot at Michael Hage.

– Interesting.

– Yeah.

– He's going to be good.

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