Report: Habs, Blackhawks among teams interested in Knies at deadline

The Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Utah Mammoth were among the teams that showed serious interest in Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies before the March 6 trade deadline, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.

Knies signed a six-year extension with the Maple Leafs last June. It carries a $7.75-million cap hit and doesn't include trade protection. The 23-year-old winger has been considered a core piece of Toronto's future since entering the NHL in 2022-23. He's one point from matching a career high (58) this season.

A second-round pick in 2021, he's registered 151 points in 227 career games along with 100-plus hits in each of the past three seasons.

The Maple Leafs are on track to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16 and sold forwards Nicolas Roy, Scott Laughton, and Bobby McMann before the deadline to recoup draft picks. Toronto still doesn't own its first-round picks for 2026 and 2027 due to trades made before last year's playoff push.

The Canadiens, who stood pat at the deadline, are in a strong position to reach the playoffs for the second season in a row. Montreal general manager Kent Hughes told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun that his club's lack of moves "wasn't for a lack of trying."

The Mammoth and Ducks are up-and-coming clubs currently in playoff position, while the Devils and Blackhawks sit 13th and 14th, respectively, in their conferences.