John Chayka didn’t exactly slam the door shut. But he made it pretty clear which way it’s swinging.
The Maple Leafs general manager told reporters this week that while he’ll evaluate everything in terms of the roster, trading a young core player like Matthew Knies just isn’t likely. Leafs reporter Arun Srinivasan posted on X that Chayka called a potential Knies trade “not probable.” That phrasing leaves a sliver of daylight, but it’s about as close to a no as you’re going to get from a GM in late June.
Knies has been the subject of chatter around the league for a while now. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported earlier this week that multiple execs around the NHL believed Toronto was at least willing to listen on the 23-year-old winger. And back in March, a reported deal that would have sent Knies to the Montreal Canadiens fell through — technically it was voided because the paperwork got submitted too late after the trade deadline. So it’s not like his name has never come up in serious conversations.
But here’s the thing. Knies just put up 66 points in 79 games. That’s a career high, following 35 points in his rookie season and 58 last year. He’s also throwing 152 hits and playing that power-forward game that teams are desperate for in the playoffs. He’s big, he’s physical, and he keeps getting better every season. That’s not the kind of guy you move unless you’re getting a haul in return, and it doesn’t sound like Chayka is shopping for one.
Toronto has been busy this offseason. They made a goalie swap with the Flyers earlier in the week, then picked up defenseman Darren Raddysh from Tampa Bay in a sign-and-trade on Friday. The roster is still taking shape, but the direction is becoming more clear. The Leafs also hold the No. 1 pick in next week’s NHL Draft and are expected to take Penn State star Gavin McKenna — another offensive cornerstone to build around.
After missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, there’s pressure on this front office to get it right. Moving a young, productive, homegrown forward like Knies would be a tough sell to the fanbase. And based on what Chayka said, it sounds like the front office understands that. Even if rival GMs keep calling, the answer for now seems to be a pretty firm no.
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