Matthew Knies prepares to face former Maple Leafs after trade to Columbus

Matthew Knies is preparing to face his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, for the first time since being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The trade, which occurred late in the preseason, involved a swap of Knies for Kirill Marchenko.

Knies expressed shock at the abruptness of the move, noting that he had spent three years in Toronto and had not been able to say proper goodbyes to many teammates. He mentioned receiving calls from players like Morgan Rielly, Auston Matthews, and John Tavares following the transaction.

Since joining Columbus, Knies has been integrated into the first line alongside Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson. While he has shown flashes of being a star, his performance has been described as inconsistent depending on the team's overall offensive flow. Ahead of the upcoming matchup, Knies indicated he might engage in some playful on-ice trash talk with his former teammates, given their long history together.