Just before the 2025-26 trade deadline, the Montreal Canadians were about to trade for a superstar- Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, the trade that should have sent Knies to Montreal was too late, and the trade ultimately fell through as Knies stayed put in Toronto. As the Utah Mammoth could be looking for some players to trade for, the reported package that Toronto would've gotten in return for Knies shows his incredible price if Utah wants to trade for him in the offseason.
Matthew Knies trade was very expensive
The reported deal that would've sent Knies to Montreal was expensive: with Bryce Pickford (age 20), Alexander Zharovsky (age 19), and two 1st round picks being the return for Knies. And according the NHL's Darren Dreger, the Leafs were also pushing for Michael Hage, who was selected 21st overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and is 20 years old. Ultimately, multiple players under the age of 21 plus two first rounders means the Maple Leafs were looking for a pretty large return for Knies.
Not many know if Toronto seeks to trade Knies or even others, such as Auston Matthews, but with the 1st overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, it could make a lot of sense for one of maybe both of those players to be traded. Knies is only 23, and his return could be too big to not trade him.
The Mammoth can afford him- but not at a cheap price
One thing that the Canadians and Mammoth have in common is that they both have a lot of young talent, meaning that even though Knies is quite expensive, both teams could pretty easily afford him. In the event that Knies is shopped, the Mammoth could very well try to strenghten their offense, but most certainly not at a cheap price.
Knies had 23 goals and 43 assists this season (66 points), albeit with a pretty bad -30 +/-. Knies also got 29 goals in the 2024-25 season, showing very good skills for a 23-year-old. Knies wouldn't cost the world for a team like Utah who has a lot of assets, but it could mean that a top prospect or maybe even more goes back to Toronto.
Could Knies be worth mega-prospect?
If a trade of a such a young and talented player was to occur, it would probably mean the Maple Leafs are going to push for either Tij Iginla, or Caleb Desnoyers. Iginla at this point could very well be untouchable, thanks to his performances he has put up in the WHL. Meanwhile, Desnoyers would also be very hard to trade, and he himself could be considered untouchable as well. If Toronto really wants an amazing player in the future in return for the superstar Knies, then either Desnoyers or Iginla would be worth a lot to Toronto.
Iginla was the 6th overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, while Desnoyers was the 4th overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. Ultimately, both have done well enough in the minors to become some the NHL's top prospects. If Toronto decides to shop Knies, one of these prospects should easily intrigue Toronto.
At the end of the day, the Maple Leafs could easily decide not to rebuild- and if they decided to rebuild, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have Knies as a cornerstone to the team. However, if the Maple Leafs decide they no longer need Knies, or that trading him is worth it, the Mammoth can afford the youngster. Knies would make a lot of sense, as he could be a cornerstone for any team in the future. The main problem though? Knies is very expensive, and rightly so.
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