Toronto Maple Leafs GM says sorry to Matthew Knies after trading him

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has apologized to Matthew Knies for the way his time in Toronto came to an end.

Just one day before the season opener, Chayka dealt Knies to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for 27-year-old Russian forward Kirill Marchenko.

The trade came just two weeks after Chayka told reporters ahead of Maple Leafs training camp that rumours surrounding Knies had carried over from the previous management group and that the 23-year-old was an "important" part of the roster.

On Tuesday morning, Chayka held a press conference to answer questions about the blockbuster trade and apologized to Knies for the way everything played out.

"I apologize to him for the noise over the past few months. It wasn't necessarily fair to him," Chayka said.

"I apologized to him for the noise over the last several months... He took the news well."

John Chayka on his conversation with Matthew Knies after the trade. pic.twitter.com/MAPTeslk8x

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 29, 2026

Chayka also said the trade with Columbus was the only deal involving Knies that the Maple Leafs seriously considered.

"These things happen, and he understands this stuff. He's a smart kid and professional athlete — took the news well," Chayka continued.

But still, for Knies, the timing of it came as a shock.

On the latest episode of the Blue Jackets' YouTube series Behind the Battle, Columbus GM Don Waddell asked Knies if he was surprised by the trade.

"Not entirely. I feel like it's been hanging over my head for a little bit here, so. But one day before opening day, I was pretty shocked," Knies said.

Just days before being traded, Knies had even spent time with his now-former teammates in Arizona during a Maple Leafs bonding trip.

Waddell also revealed that he'd been in discussions with the Maple Leafs' front office for several weeks about acquiring Knies for Marchenko. Monday just happened to be the day Columbus felt the two sides could get a deal done.

Knies will at least have a few days to get acquainted with his new teammates before the Blue Jackets open their season at home against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 1.

By contrast, Toronto opens its season Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens.