Emerging details reveal Leafs nearly pulled off blockbuster Matthew Knies trade before Columbus deal

Matthew Knies was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday in a deal that sent Kirill Marchenko back to Toronto. The blockbuster move could have looked very different however as the Maple Leafs reportedly tried to ship Knies to the San Jose Sharks earlier in exchange for a haul of draft capital.

According to insider Frank Seravalli, Toronto offered Knies to San Jose over the summer, targeting the Sharks' first-round picks, including the coveted No. 2 overall selection. The reported ask was steep: all three of San Jose's first-rounders in the 2026 draft, which included the second, ninth, and 21st overall picks. The Sharks declined.

San Jose GM Mike Grier acknowledged in June that he fielded multiple inquiries about the No. 2 pick, describing one offer as "real interesting." Whether that was the Leafs' proposal or another team's pitch remains unclear, but Grier ultimately held firm and used the selection on winger Ivar Stenberg, who is expected to be in the Sharks' lineup for their season opener against the Florida Panthers.

Grier also noted at the time that roughly five teams expressed interest in the second overall pick, with a couple of those offers giving him pause. The Chicago Blackhawks were reportedly among those who reached out, looking for a winger to pair with Connor Bedard.

Seravalli's reporting indicates that Toronto had been actively shopping Knies throughout the summer. The 23-year-old power forward, who has tallied 160 points across 240 NHL games, was also famously nearly dealt to the Montreal Canadiens at last season's trade deadline.

Instead, Knies remained in Toronto until Monday, when GM John Chayka pulled the trigger on a six-player swap with Columbus. Knies carries a $7.75 million cap hit over the next five seasons and now finds himself on a Blue Jackets roster with uncertain playoff prospects.

The Sharks, meanwhile, used their draft picks to select Stenberg at No. 2, defenseman Keaton Verhoeff at No. 9, and later packaged the 27th pick to move up and grab Ryan Lin at No. 20. Whether those selections prove more valuable than Knies over time will take years to determine.

The failed Sharks deal adds another layer to the complicated saga of Knies' departure from Toronto, and raises questions about how long the Leafs had been planning to move on from a player their fan base considered a cornerstone piece.