Toronto Maple Leafs nearly traded Matthew Knies to Montreal Canadiens per Nick Kypreos report

Toronto drafted the power forward 57th overall in the 2021 second round, and he currently carries a heavy $7.75 million cap hit on a six-year deal.

Montreal coveted his offensive output and physical size to boost their transition game. This move would have completely altered the playoff race heading into the final stretch.

The Canadiens have a stacked prospect pool ready to be deployed. They possessed the exact draft capital required to pry a core piece right out of the Toronto locker room.

With 51 points already banked through 61 games, the Arizona native was single-handedly carrying the top six during a brutal seven-game losing skid.

Trading him within the division to a bitter historical rival would have been pure insanity.

He is locked down until 2031 without any immediate trade protection restricting a sudden move. Kent Hughes obviously saw a rare opportunity here.

Toronto general manager Brad Treliving refused to blink when the deadline pressure peaked. He demanded a king's ransom to swallow those massive cap implications.

The defensive structure collapsed entirely during their recent road trip last week. Unacceptable.

Shipping out a 232-pound winger who dominates the boards would have triggered an absolute fan mutiny in this hockey-crazed market.

Career-wise, he is rapidly trending toward elite power forward status. The Maple Leafs held firm, choosing solid execution and long-term roster stability over a chaotic midnight rivalry swap.