The trade talk around Matthew Knies has picked up steam this offseason, but Maple Leafs assistant general manager Ryan Hardy made Toronto’s position plain: the club sees the 23-year-old as part of the solution, not a piece to move.
Hardy addressed the speculation on the latest edition of TSN’s "OverDrive," explaining why Knies’ name has surfaced so often as the Maple Leafs try to reshape a roster that changed in a big way heading toward the 2026-27 season. Toronto has already made major moves, including selecting Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Draft and acquiring forward Nick Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Even with those additions, chatter around some of the team’s biggest names - including Knies and Auston Matthews - has not slowed down.
"Because of all the protections that so many of our other players have, when it sort of hit rock bottom in the middle of the season, everybody looks and says, 'Oh, how are they gonna make the team better?' And I think that's been one that, for whatever reason, has gained a lot of steam," he said.
Hardy’s larger point was simple: players with Knies’ blend of size, flexibility and playoff fit are not easy to replace, and Toronto knows it.
"And the reality is that Matthew Knies is a guy that, players like him and him as an individual are guys that help you win the Stanley Cup. And every team needs guys like that to help you win the Stanley Cup."
He also highlighted Knies’ ability to move around the lineup and spend time with Matthews as another reason the Leafs have no appetite to deal him.
"He's got some flexibility to play with Auston [Matthews], to play in some different situations, and he's kind of built for the playoffs. We're in contact with his group, you know, as you always are with all your players. But Matthew Knies is an important part of the Maple Leafs, and anything beyond that is really just speculation."
Knies played 79 games in 2025-26 and finished with 23 goals and 43 assists for 66 points. He is entering the second season of his six-year, $46.5 million contract, which carries a $7.75 million annual cap hit.
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