Matthew Knies has been a true professional since learning he was being traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Columbus Blue Jackets, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t feel the sting of being dumped by his old team.
Knies revealed in a recent interview that he was aware the Maple Leafs were making roster changes and likely wanted turnover for the sake of turnover. Following last year’s disappointing season, he wasn’t surprised that the team made several changes.
Still, to learn he was among them came as a bit of a shock.
Knies Upset About Being Traded by the Maple Leafs
Knies understands playing in the NHL isn’t always about being part of a team and seeing something through. It’s a business. Still it hurts when you’re traded, said the former Maple Leafs forward.
He was in “shock and upset” to be traded by the Maple Leafs. “I felt like it could happen to anyone, really. I think in Toronto, they needed some turnover and needed to make some changes, and I was a part of that. It came as a bit of a shock. I was obviously upset to leave those guys. I was with them for three years, so it sucks to leave that group.”
Knies was seen as part of the core moving forward. But a tough season saw his name pop up in trade rumors around the NHL Draft, and speculation was that he was nearly moved to the Montreal Canadiens.
That trade ultimately never happened, so trade talk surrounding Knies quieted. That said, the chatter never truly disappeared.
It was reported that Knies was growing annoyed by the fact his name was often being tossed out there in trade rumors. He had no desire to leave the Maple Leafs and had taken a team-friendly extension. However, a new management team had a chance to add a piece they believed would be a game-changer in Kirill Marchenko, and it took Knies to make the deal work.
This Wasn’t Personal From the Maple Leafs
While it felt personal, Knies knows it likely wasn’t. He was caught in a situation where the Leafs had few assets they could move that would satisfy what the Columbus Blue Jackets were looking for. They needed an impact player back if they were going to trade their top goal scorer from last season. Futures and picks wouldn’t cut it.
That meant Knies, if for no other reason than he was a good young player who lacked trade protection.
In the end, Knies will be a big part of the Blue Jackets’ roster planning. He’s already off to a hot start, and he’ll be worked into all of their main offensive schemes. That might not have been the case in Toronto, where he was an important cog in the wheel, but the talk is that Toronto didn’t see him as a superstar.
Was It Personal?: Matthew Knies Shares Candid Feelings Maple Leafs Trade