Canadiens rumors: Matthew Knies trade deadline deal was nixed for insane reason

The Montreal Canadiens made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. The team is now looking towards the offseason, with the Canadiens’ most pressing need being a second-line center.

The team nearly upgraded their second line during the season, but the deal fell through, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.

The Habs had a deal in place to trade for Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“As I spoke about on DFO Rundown Insider Edition earlier today, in exchange for Knies, the Canadiens were going to send highly-touted prospect Alexander Zharovsky (whose name I mispronounced in the segment, my apologies), another top prospect and two first-round draft picks to Toronto. Sources also confirmed the second player was not Michael Hage nor David Reinbacher,” Pagnotta wrote. “According to sources, the Canadiens approached the Leafs late in the day on deadline day about the move, which Toronto accepted, but the Leafs were unable to get the trade filed ahead of the 3pm ET deadline.”

The trade was apparently a done deal, but filed a minute late, as confirmed by Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet.

“I did hear the same thing that Pagnotta was able to confirm and report,” Friendman said. “What I heard is that the reason it didn’t happen was that it was submitted at 3:01. Now I’ve heard some different variations on why it was late and whose fault it was that it was late, but I don’t know it for sure.”

What is clear from the two reports is that someone filed late paperwork, and Knies was a minute away from being a member of the Canadiens.

There is the possibility that the trade could still get done this offseason. If it is done, it will be done with a new front office. John Chayka has been hired as the general manager of the Maple Leafs and would be the one needing to approve the deal now.

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