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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 08: Matthew Knies #23 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies is one of the NHL’s top trade candidates this offseason. While the Maple Leafs have a new general manager in John Chayka, questions about Knies’ future in Toronto are continuing to come up.

RG’s Marco D’Amico reported on Wednesday that while the Maple Leafs are not guaranteed to move Knie, trade talks around the star winger are “intensifying.”

D’Amico later reported that the Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, and Montreal Canadiens are among the teams interested in acquiring Knies from the Maple Leafs.

“Word of discussions with Buffalo and the 4th overall pick. San Jose also said to be of interest here as well. Montreal remains interested, but hard to compete with the above teams,” D’Amico posted on X about Knies.

Hearing that Knies is generating interest from multiple teams is not surprising in the slightest. Knies is a young top-six forward carrying a $7.75 million cap hit through 2030-31, so he is an incredibly appealing trade target. The NHL has also seen several big-name players get traded this summer, and this year’s free agency class is incredibly weak.

Sabres Could Have Their Perfect Alex Tuch Replacement With Knies

The Sabres ripped off the bandaid on Wednesday when they traded then-pending UFA forward Alex Tuch to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round pick. Tuch also signed a massive eight-year, $84 million contract with the Capitals following the move.

With the Sabres trading Tuch, there is no question that they could use another top-six winger to replace him. Bringing in Knies, who is a fellow power forward, would make all the sense in the world for the Sabres because of it. The Sabres have an incredibly valuable trade asset in this year’s fourth-overall pick.

If the Sabres acquired Knies, he could slot perfectly on their first line with Josh Norris and Tage Thompson. That trio would have the potential to thrive on the same line.

Sharks Landing Knies Would Give Macklin Celebrini A New High-Impact Winger

With the Sharks trading William Eklund to the Ottawa Senators, it makes sense that they have Knies on their radar. Knies would be an excellent replacement for Eklund if acquired, as he would not only provide them with more offense but plenty more grit.

The idea of Knies playing on the same line with superstar center Macklin Celebrini is also fascinating. Knies, who had 66 points in 79 games this past season with Toronto, could see his offensive totals skyrocket if he has a superstar center like Celebrini passing him the puck.

Canadiens Landing Knies Would Make Up For Lost Trade

It is no secret that the Canadiens have an interest in Knies. The Habs were close to acquiring Knies at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, and there is no question that they could still use a winger like him in their top six as their Stanley Cup window opens.

If the Canadiens landed Knies, it would make up for what happened at this year’s deadline. However, with the Sabres and Sharks being in the mix, the Canadiens have some serious competition in the sweepstakes.