Matthew Knies to Montreal was confirmed according to Elliotte Friedman, but due to the trade being submitted late, it saved Toronto from losing their star forward.
Elliotte Friedman reported originally that Matthew Knies wasn't being traded, and now states that it was set in stone at the deadline. Montreal would have sent a huge package involving picks and prospects to Toronto in order to acquire Knies. The kicker? It was agreed upon but just a minute late.
Knies heading to Montreal would have been an absolute steal for the Canadiens as they get a star power forward who already is one of the most unique players in the entire league. Toronto would have restarted their rebuild and had a ton of assets to do so, including prospect Alexander Zharovsky.
Elliotte Friedman says Knies deal fell through due to a late trade submission at 3:01 PM
However that deal never happened, and while it was originally reported that the two sides talked but weren't close, that's not exactly the entire truth.
Adding to his original report, Elliotte Friedman received word that the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs indeed had a deal in place for Knies and it was actually agreed upon however it was the lack of urgency that led to the trade falling through:
I had some Leafs fans ask about Dave Pagnotta about the deal for Knies that didn't happen. He mentioned Zharovsky, another prospect and two firsts; I said from the start I think any deal involved Knies, and as I heard it was something similar.
What I heard for the reason it didn't happen was it was submitted at 3:01 PM. I heard some variations as to whose fault it was, but suffice to say a lot of finger pointing or gave different reasons as to why.
That's an incredible stroke of luck for the Maple Leafs fans who want Knies to stay around (myself included) but it shows that there clearly was a push from the Toronto front office to kickstart a rebuild by dealing off one of their young and proven stars.
Friedman also noted that this trade is no longer on the table, and any talks involving Knies and the Canadiens are dead at the current time.
Saved by the deadline: The Maple Leafs future needs Knies, and it's thanks to Brad Treliving
Though the Maple Leafs could absolutely find the next diamonds in the rough or some very good players with the draft picks acquired in the Knies deal. But that wouldn't be nearly as much of a guarantee than Knies already is.
You have a 23-year old who already has 30+ goal scoring potential, hits like a Mack truck, has great wheels and an endless motor and is a diehard, passionate member of the Toronto community.
You don't find those kicking around very often, and while Zharovsky is expected to be a very dynamic player; that overall game Knies brings is too important.
There's also a chance you garner some resentment from Auston Matthews given that you're trading away his top protection on the first line and someone who he is very close with off the ice. If Knies left, then it may give Matthews pause about sticking around past 2028.
You have to credit Brad Treliving whether he deserves it or not. The fact is his incompetence and inability to pull the trigger actually saved Toronto from losing out on Knies. He already had a bad track record, and this may have been his worst trade ever had it gone through.
Also, how awful would it be for Maple Leafs fans to see Knies on a perennial contender like Montreal and be the one push them into the Cup Finals? There's already a bitter rivalry between the two, and Knies being the enemy would hurt emotionally.
You don't need a bunch of draft picks, you have Gavin McKenna coming in. What you do need is a 23-year old proven power forward who could very well be your next captain and it's about time the team makes him untouchable.
Do you think it's a good or bad thing that Toronto was unable to trade Matthew Knies?
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