Matthew Knies was in the middle of a whole lot of trade rumours earlier this summer and Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has come out and said that he's too important to the team to think about trading right now.
After the miserable 2025-26 season wrapped up, speculation swirled around the Maple Leafs. Whether it was seeing if this is the summer that Auston Matthews wants to leave, or if Morgan Rielly is done in Toronto and will head back home to the west coast, there was always something brewing. One of the most surprising things that was reported was that the 23-year-old power winger Knies was on the trade block, or at the very least, the Leafs were thinking of trading him.
On the first day of Leafs training camp Thursday, Chayka has now come out and said that all of the rumours about a potential Knies deal was more from the old regime and he's too special to move.
John Chayka comments on trade rumours surrounding Matthew Knies and mentions "work in the previous management group." pic.twitter.com/mfrdWQ9330
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 16, 2026
"The part that gets lost is, previous discussions or previous work that was done in the previous management group, has bled over to these discussions. But from our side, we've been consistent with Matthew -- that he's an important part of our team. Like you said, he's a really important player," Chayka said.
"As we think about winning games when it matters, the ability to have players that are good on the walls, good at the netfront, can play a physical game, finish checks but also have the talent and skill level to score goals -- it's pretty hard to find.
"From our side, we've had numerous discussions with Matthew. I think he knows exactly how we feel about him. As part of the business, there are rumour mills that occur and we have no control over that. But that's our relationship and we know where we stand, and that's all that matters to me."
Matthew Knies is the exact player the Leafs have been dreaming of
Everything that Chayka said rings true. Knies isn't a player that you decide to part ways with just because an enticing trade package has come across your desk. Every single team in the NHL wants and needs a player like him, so why give him up in the first place?
Reports came out after his firing that former general manager Brad Treliving had a trade in place to send Knies to the archrival Montreal Canadiens for a package that included prospects Alexander Zharovsky, Bryce Pickford, and two first-round picks. Those are decent prospects and picks are good, but considering that Knies is signed for five more years at a bargain $7.75-million AAV and, again, is the player that he is and who the Leafs have been missing -- it's an insane thing to accept.
Rumours continued and even a package involving the Chicago Blackhawks' fourth-overall pick came up in conversations, according to reports. But that just shows how high of a price Chayka set for any potential Knies trade.
Now, the conversations have been had after the wild summer and it's clear that he's going to stay in Toronto for a while. Or, until the Leafs start a new rebuild and they get an insane offer for him from a desperate team.
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