Maple Leafs & Blue Jackets Linked to Blockbuster Trade

The NHL's offseason is off to a blazing start, and apparently there's plenty more to come. Keep an eye on the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets as there's growing speculation around the media circles that there's been discussions about a potential trade between the two clubs, involving Matthew Knies and Zach Werenski.

Knies has been linked to trade talks since March when Brad Treliving was trying to move him to the Montreal Canadiens for a prospect-laced package. Since then, Treliving's been fired and John Chayka's taken over, and the Knies trade talks hasn't slowed down one bit.

Recently, several insiders have mentioned Werenski's name. The Norris trophy defenceman has two seasons left on his deal and would be a massive addition to the Maple Leafs' blue line. Werenski owns trade protection, so it would be interesting to see if he's open to the move. 

The Maple Leafs own the number-one overall pick at Friday's draft, but at this point, no trade talks have been linked to the pick, and all signs are pointing to Chayka drafting Gavin McKenna. The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, are going through a serious roster reshape, as you had to know things were going to change once Rick Bowness called out the team for having a culture issue, and not caring about winning.

Since those comments, captain Boone Jenner appears set for the free-agent market, and the Werenski trade talks have taken off. It's going to take more than just Knies to land the blueliner, so it will be interesting to see what the potential trade could turn into.

The Blue Jackets and Zach Werenski will meet after the NHL Draft to discuss his future with the organization, per @FriedgeHNIC. pic.twitter.com/C0cS5edKmi

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 23, 2026