Leafs Nearly Traded Knies to Rival Canadiens
It sounds like the Toronto Maple Leafs were incredibly close to pulling off a deal that would have sent a significant young player packing to one of their fiercest rivals. We're talking about Matthew Knies, a player who's really started to make his mark in the league, potentially heading to the Montreal Canadiens. This story comes from a report by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period and it paints a picture of a trade that was almost a reality just last season.
The 2025-26 season wasn't a great one for the Maple Leafs, as they missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade, which naturally made them sellers at the trade deadline. We saw players like Nicolas Roy, Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton move on for future assets. However, this report suggests Toronto was much further down the road on a blockbuster deal involving Matthew Knies and the destination would have been the Montreal Canadiens, a team no Leafs fan wants to see their players join.
Pagnotta reported that an agreement was indeed in place between the Leafs and the Habs to send Matthew Knies to Montreal. The proposed package was quite substantial: Zharovsky would have gone the other way, along with another prospect and two first-round picks. This was the framework they had agreed upon, but some complications arose just before the deadline, preventing it from going through, though the report hints it could be revisited.
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For the Canadiens, adding a player like Knies would have been a massive boost, especially considering their own rebuilding efforts and young core. At just 23 years old, Knies put up a career-best 66 points this past season, including 23 goals, showing his significant offensive upside. He would have fit in seamlessly with Montreal's developing talent, providing them with an immediate impact player.
On the flip side, the Canadiens would have been sending Alexander Zharovsky, a promising 19-year-old forward who was a second-round pick in 2025. Zharovsky had a strong season in the KHL, notching 16 goals and 42 points, demonstrating his potential to become a key player for Toronto. The identity of the other prospect heading to Toronto in this rumoured deal hasn't been revealed yet, adding another layer of intrigue to this near-miss trade.
It's interesting to note that this potential trade was reportedly agreed upon under the previous Toronto management, with Brad Treliving as the General Manager. Now, with John Chayka in the GM chair and the Leafs holding the first-overall pick in the upcoming draft, their approach might be different. Adding another highly-touted young player could certainly alter their willingness to part with a productive young forward like Knies, especially to a divisional rival.
This near-trade highlights the complex decisions GMs face and the constant movement of talent in the NHL. The fact that such a significant deal involving a key player was so close to fruition is a stark reminder of how quickly things can change. Whether this potential trade resurfaces in the future remains to be seen, but it certainly makes for a captivating storyline heading into what looks like a very busy summer for the Maple Leafs organization and their fans. Stay with Mirror 7 News for all updates as they happen.
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