Insider reveals full package in failed Matthew Knies trade.

Last week news leaked out that revealed the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs had orchestrated a trade for Matthew Knies at the trade deadline. While the trade was a done deal Maple Leafs general manager at that time Brad Treliving failed to submit the trade on time and therefore it was never approved by the National Hockey League.

While there has been plenty of debate about how that trade might have impacted either team, it has been a difficult conversation to have without the full details. While it has been reported that the Canadiens were prepared to give up highly touted prospect Alexander Zharovsky and two additional first round picks, the final piece of this package has remained a mystery... at least until now.

NHL insider Jeff Marek is now reporting the identity of the final piece of that trade, revealing that it was another one of Montreal's top prospects involved in the deal.

"It's Alexander Zharovsky, another defensive prospect I believe Bryce Pickford from the Medicine Hat Tigers who just had an unreal season and two first round picks," revealed Marek on The Sheet podcast.

Pickford was a later round selection the part of the Canadiens, selected in the third round (81st overall) of the 2025 National Hockey League Entry Draft but, as Marek said, Pickford is coming off of a breakout season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. Pickford, a defenseman, had a whopping 45 goals and 38 assists for 83 points in just 55 games for the Tigers during the 2025-26 season.

Although this entire fiasco doesn't paint former Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving in the best of lights, his blunder may have actually worked out for the best for both teams involved in this trade. In the case of the Canadiens their greatest need is at the center position and giving up all of these assets would have crippled their ability to trade for a top-6 type of center in the future, something they will very likely look to do this summer.

As for the Maple Leafs they would have earned what are likely to be a pair of late round selections and two talented prospects, but would have likely pushed Auston Matthews out of town in the process by trading away Knies. Additionally the Maple Leafs draft lottery would likely have looked very different than the scenario which transpired this season, the Leafs winning the first overall pick, something that of course no one could have reasonably predicted at the time.

Now that you know the full package would you have made this trade? Or did both of these teams dodge a bullet?