Maple Leafs Trade Pitch Lands Connor McDavid For Matthew Knies-Led Haul

September 3, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

A Maple Leafs trade pitch lands Connor McDavid from the Oilers for a substantial return headlined by Matthew Knies. GettyMatthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Getty

A new Maple Leafs trade pitch proposes a potentially controversial scenario that would bring a future Hall of Famer to Toronto to complete his legendary career. But the price would be steep — an impressive haul for the Edmonton Oilers topped by Toronto’s left-shot winger Matthew Knies.

Visit h-doctor.club for more information.

The trade proposed by a user on the roster-building simulation site PuckGM would also send Ben Danford, Dakota Joshua and two first-round picks Edmonton’s way in exchange for 11-year veteran — and eight-time NHL All-Star Team selection — Connor McDavid.

Connor McDavid and Matthew Knies Headline the Framework

GettyMatthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

McDavid, born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, became the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 in 2016 after Edmonton drafted him first overall in 2015. He has won three Hart Trophies, a Rocket Richard, six Art Ross titles and five Ted Lindsay Awards, the latter tying Wayne Gretzky, according to a recent report on his latest honor. He posted 138 points in 82 games during 2025-26 and played through a fractured foot as Edmonton lost in six games to Anaheim.

His deal carries a $12.5 million cap hit for two more seasons and includes a full no-move clause, meaning he alone can approve any trade, according to PuckPedia.

Knies, a Phoenix native drafted 57th overall in 2021 out of Minnesota, has grown into a 23-year-old power winger with 160 points across 240 NHL games, including 66 last season. He signed a six-year, $46.5 million extension in 2025 running through 2030-31.

Toronto general manager John Chayka has said the club is not shopping him but would field an offer described as “the moon,” according to a Daily Faceoff report.

Danford, a 20-year-old right-shot defenseman Toronto took 31st overall in 2024, remains a prospect who has yet to play an NHL game. TheLeafsNation ranks him as the organization’s third-best prospect. Joshua, a bottom-six forward Toronto reacquired from Vancouver in July 2025, carries a $3.25 million cap hit through 2027-28.

Financial and Competitive Stakes for Both Franchises

The money moves almost evenly in year one. Toronto would take on roughly $11.94 million against $12.5 million leaving, a net increase of about $560,000. The terms diverge sharply after that. McDavid becomes a free agent in 2028, while Knies is locked in through 2031 and Danford through his entry-level deal. PuckGM‘s own projection shows Toronto landing at a $107.3 million projected cap hit with zero room left and 22 of 23 roster spots filled.

Competitively, pairing McDavid with Auston Matthews would give Toronto two of the sport’s most productive players in the same lineup. But Toronto surrenders its top prospect defenseman, its top young winger and two first-round picks for a two-year rental who must personally sign off on leaving Edmonton.

For the Oilers, the return falls short of prior proposals circulated about a McDavid trade, which typically envision multiple first-round picks plus an established young star rather than one winger, a raw prospect and a depth forward.

Cash payouts widen the gap further. McDavid is owed $14.25 million in actual salary for 2026-27, while Knies is owed $9 million, according to salary figures tracked by Spotrac. Toronto would pay far more up front for a player it might control for only two seasons.

None of this changes the practical reality hanging over the exercise. McDavid’s no-move clause means the six-time Art Ross winner decides whether he ever leaves Edmonton, and nothing in Chayka’s public comments suggests Toronto has made a real run at prying him loose.