Matthew Knies is grateful to leave the rumours behind after Monday’s big trade between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Knies was dealt to Columbus on Monday, along with forward Steven Lorentz, defenceman Emil Andrae and a 2027 conditional second-round pick in a big trade that brought forwards Kirill Marchenko and Miles Wood, as well as goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, to Toronto.
With his name swirling in trade rumours over the summer, Knies admits he was shocked at the timing of the trade as the Maple Leafs open the 2026-27 season against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
“Not entirely [surprised], said Knies on a call with Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell. “I feel like it’s kind of been hanging over my head for a little bit here. But yeah, I guess one day before opening day I was pretty shocked.”
Knies added in a media availability on Tuesday that he had a feeling he was going to get traded.
“I think with my name being out there, just kind of the uncertainty here, I feel like it was just kind of inevitable the way it seemed,” said Knies.
“Excited to go to Columbus. I think it was kind of getting old here with all those rumours and stuff so glad that’s put to bed and I get a new fresh start in Columbus.”
Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka said on Tuesday that he apologized to Knies for all the noise surrounding him.
“I apologized to him for the noise over the last several months,” said Chayka. “I don’t think it was necessarily fair to him. This was the only thing we seriously considered as a management group.
“These things happen, he understands. He’s a professional athlete. He’s a smart kid. He took the news well. It’s a good young team he’s going to, I think it’s a good fit for him. I think he’ll do well.”
Knies signed a six-year, $46.5 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs in June of 2025 but played one season of the deal with the Maple Leafs.
The 23-year-old winger scored 23 goals with a career-high 66 points in 79 games last season.
He joins a young roster headlined by 21-year-old centre Adam Fantilli, who just re-signed on a six-year, $82.5 million contract on Sept. 24.
“I’m really excited to be his teammate,” said Knies of Fantilli. “It’s going to be easier playing with him than against him for sure. He’s an incredible player. It will be a lot of fun to play with him.”
The Blue Jackets have missed the playoffs six years in a row and finished fifth in the Metropolitan Division last season. They open the season Thursday night at home against the Buffalo Sabres.
Knies said of his time in Toronto that he’ll remember his teammates the most but is ready to move on.
“It was a fun time playing here,” Knies. “Crazy hockey city, exciting. Again, I’m fired up to go to Columbus and get a fresh start and a breath of fresh air and not have to worry about that kind of crap over my head for all those trade stuff and just focus on hockey.”
