The Matthew Knies era with the Toronto Maple Leafs came to a close just days ago, as he was included in a blockbuster trade between Toronto and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Knies was dealt to the Blue Jackets along with forward Steven Lorentz, defenseman Emil Andrae, and a 2027 second-round draft pick; in return, Toronto received forward Kirill Marchenko, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (with 18 percent of his salary retained), and forward Miles Wood.
Neither Marchenko nor Knies had to wait long to make their debuts with their respective new clubs; Marchenko has already played two games in a Toronto jersey, and now Knies is getting his first crack with the Blue Jackets.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Matthew Knies Receives Warm Welcome In Blue Jackets Debut
The Blue Jackets host the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena in what is the first regular season game of the 2026-27 NHL campaign for both sides.
When it came time for Knies’ introduction, Blue Jackets fans immediately took kindly to their newest top-six forward, giving him a loud cheer.
Knies also walked the blue carpet along with his new teammates outside of the arena, signing autographs and taking selfies with fans.
And it didn’t take long for him to make an immediate impact, as he scored his first goal with the Blue Jackets in the first period against the Sabres.
Matthew Knies Is “Fired Up” To Be With The Blue Jackets
Knies, who had been dealing with multiple trade rumors in recent weeks and months, is glad that he can put them all behind him and just focus on hockey now.
“I just kept coming up, and … it stuck with me, kind of hung over my head for a little bit,” Knies said. “I’m fired up to go to Columbus and get a fresh start, a breath of fresh air and not have to worry about all that crap over my head, the trade stuff.
“I can just focus on hockey and focus on the guys in the room and try to win.”
Meanwhile, he also said that he didn’t realistically see a trade coming from the club that selected him.
“I really didn’t see it happening,” Knies said. “I thought it was going to happen sometime in the future, but, you know, not this quickly. It was kind of getting old here with all these rumors and stuff. I’m just glad that’s put to bed, and I’ve got a new, fresh start in Columbus.”
Knies, whom the Leafs took in the second round (57th overall pick) of the 2021 NHL Draft, joined the club after signing a three-year entry-level deal. He made his NHL debut soon afterward, playing in three regular-season contests before becoming part of Toronto’s postseason roster.
Knies made an immediate impact in the playoffs, recording an assist on John Tavares’ series-clinching goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The victory ended Toronto’s long wait for a playoff series win, marking the franchise’s first since 2004. Knies later scored his first NHL goal against the Florida Panthers in the second round, but his postseason came to an early end after he suffered a concussion.
The following season marked his first full NHL campaign, with Knies producing 15 goals and 20 assists. He took another step forward in 2024-25, setting a new career high with 29 goals.
Columbus Fans Give Ex-Maple Leaf Matthew Knies Major 1st Impression