The Montreal Canadiens were prepared to build their Matthew Knies offer around the long view, and the latest reporting makes that plain.
According to the new details, the package Montreal had on the table for Knies was centered on future value: Alexander Zharovsky, draft picks, and potentially more. David Pagnotta described the previous regime’s approach this way: “The trade with Montreal that the previous regime agreed to, that was futures driven; a 1st, two top notch prospects...and whatever else.”
That kind of offer tells the story on its own. Montreal was willing to push chips in for a chance to win later, but Toronto’s priorities were different. With Auston Matthews in the middle of his current contract, the Maple Leafs wanted help now, not a return that might pay off four or five years down the road.
That is part of why the original deal never got across the finish line. The report says it was submitted one minute too late from Brad Treliving, and by then the Leafs had already shifted gears and landed Kirill Marchenko, with Knies going the other way.
Montreal, meanwhile, did not leave the window empty-handed. The Canadiens pivoted and brought in Chris Kreider through free agency after he was surprisingly terminated by the Anaheim Ducks for salary purposes. Kreider wanted out, Anaheim needed space, and Montreal took advantage.
For Toronto, the Knies outcome has worked out in a way that’s hard to second-guess. Knies has become a major presence, exactly the kind of player who fits the Maple Leafs’ physical crash-and-bang style. Marchenko, on the other hand, got a better shot at winning and stepped into a top-line role as the offensive driver for Matthews.
It has turned into one of those swaps where both sides found the right fit. Toronto got the win-now piece it wanted, Columbus got the player who fits its current setup, and Montreal was left chasing a deal that was built for the future.
Knies is now a focal member of the Blue Jackets, and his return to Toronto on Nov. 21 should draw a seriously warm welcome.
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Leafs Got An Opening Ottawa Could Not Afford To Give Away
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The Leafs wasted little time taking advantage, scoring twice in a row after Sanderson exited to grab a 2-1 lead. In a game where every shift mattered, Ottawa could not afford to lose one of its top defensemen, and Toronto quickly showed why those kinds of openings rarely stay closed for long. [Read more 🡒]