The Toronto Maple Leafs are heading into one of the most uncertain and important offseasons in years. After a rough 2025–26 season where they finished 28th and missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, the team is set for a major reset.
From front-office overhauls and a coaching vacancy to holding the golden ticket in the upcoming draft, the landscape in Toronto is shifting dramatically; almost nothing feels off-limits anymore. And according to league chatter, that includes even some of the team’s most promising young talent.
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Star Winger in Trade Rumors
At the center of the latest rumors is fan favorite Matthew Knies, who just completed the first year of his six-year, $46.5 million contract. Once viewed as part of the franchise’s post-Mitch Marner core in the long term, Knies now finds himself once again mentioned in trade discussions following a shift in Toronto’s internal direction.
He was already loosely connected to trade speculation around the March deadline, though nothing materialized at the time. But with new management in place under John Chayka, reports suggest the Leafs are at least listening to offers on nearly every roster player, except captain Auston Matthews.
That doesn’t necessarily mean a trade is imminent, but it does signal a more open-minded approach.
NHL insider Darren Dreger recently weighed in on the situation, noting that the Leafs’ stance on Knies appears to fluctuate with circumstances and league discussions. He explained that while Toronto isn’t actively shopping the winger, they also aren’t completely shutting the door if an exceptional offer comes in.
“Unless somebody drops an offer on my table that makes me actually consider moving Matthew Knies, and no, I’m not going to trade him. I’m not going to devalue the asset,” Dreger said of Chayka’s mindset, while also pointing to the heavy workload and evolving decision-making structure within the organization.
In his view, Knies will only be moved if a team presents Toronto an offer they can’t refuse.
Why Knies is Drawing League-Wide Attention
Interestingly, insider Chris Johnston believes Knies could generate more trade interest in the NHL than even Matthews in certain hypothetical scenarios. That doesn’t reflect a talent comparison; it reflects contract structure and flexibility.
Knies is signed long-term at a fixed cap hit with no trade protection, giving acquiring teams cost certainty and control over a player entering his prime years. In contrast, Matthews remains a superstar talent but carries full no-movement protection and a contract timeline that significantly complicates any potential deal.
That combination makes Knies one of the more intriguing “modern NHL assets,” young, productive, affordable, and flexible.
With coaching changes underway following the departure of Craig Berube and major roster decisions looming, the Maple Leafs are entering a period in which identity, structure, and direction are being reconsidered simultaneously.
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Whether Matthew Knies ultimately becomes part of that new vision, or a major trade chip to help build it, will be one of the defining storylines of Toronto’s offseason.
