Overview
- Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has publicly affirmed that Matthew Knies is part of the club’s future and is not being shopped by the new regime.
- Knies has been placed on the top line with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic in training camp and the coaching staff intends to use him in heavy defensive minutes and special teams situations.
- Knies told reporters he wants to stay in Toronto and said the organization views him as a valuable piece, a stance he says he will keep proving every day.
- The 23-year-old scored 23 goals and 66 points in 79 games in 2025-26 while playing through a lingering knee issue, and he is signed through 2031 at a $7.75 million average annual value.
- Reports say a potential trade to Montreal was discussed under former GM Brad Treliving but fell through, and Chayka’s early public support signals a front-office shift toward retaining and developing young core players.