Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka revealed that he apologized to Matthew Knies after trading him.
The Maple Leafs made a blockbuster trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday when they traded Knies, Steven Lorentz, Emil Andrade, and a second-round draft pick to Columbus for Kirill Marchenko, Miles Wood, and Elvis Merzlikins.
Thus, marks the end of Knies’s tenure in Toronto following months of trade rumors.
John Chayka Reveals Apology to Matthew Knies
Speaking to the media on Tuesday following the trade becoming official, Chayka shared his thoughts on the deal, while revealing that he personally apologized to Knies for the trade.
“I apologized to him for the noise over the last several months. 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. It’s nothing that — 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,” Chayka said.
Maple Leafs Banking on Kirill Marchenko’s Potential
With this trade, it’s clear that the Maple Leafs are banking on Marchenko’s potential to become a massive part of the team’s future.
The Russian winger has been a sniper for the Blue Jackets for the last several years, but playing in a small market, he might not be super well known to Maple Leafs fans, who were shocked that the team gave up a fan favorite in Knies in the trade.
However, Chayka and the Maple Leafs’ management group truly believe in Marchenko’s potential to be a high-level scorer for the Maple Leafs over the next seven years, as he is under contract for this coming season under his old deal with the Blue Jackets, plus the team just extended him for six more seasons.
In comparison, Knies is only under contract for five more years, though at a lower number. We’ll have to see how this trade ends up, but it could be the classic win-win trade for both clubs.
Matthew Knies Received Apology From John Chayka for Trade