The Maple Leafs might trade Matthew Knies for a prospect most fans have never heard of

We've heard a lot of noise around a Matthew Knies trade, however there may be a reason Toronto is holding off and it has to do with one specific player.

Knies' name has been thrown about in blockbuster rumors over the past few days, with teams like Chicago and Buffalo all vying for a chance to add the young power forward. Add in the Canadiens' interest from the deadline, and other teams like the Rangers could also make a play for him.

Though we've heard a lot about Knies heading to Buffalo and all signs so far have pointed to an inner-divisional deal that could involve a massive package headlined by the 2026 fourth overall pick; the same one Buffalo acquired in the Bowen Byram deal.

If so, that would be a huge coup for John Chayka albeit at a heavy price given that Knies is expected to be a superstar for years to come. The noise has certainly been loud but there's nothing concrete and some GMs are wondering if he is just simply bluffing and trying to bait a team into overpaying for the forward.

Maple Leafs could be waiting for the perfect time to trade Matthew Knies - and it's this Friday

Or maybe it's because they have a completely different plan in mind.

David Pagnotta appeared as a guest on Leafs Morning Take and when the topic of a potential Knies blockbuster came up, Pagnotta was honest in that a deal could very well happen given that Toronto has eyes set not only on Gavin McKenna but Chase Reid too:

I've talked to a few people around the league the last 24 hours and I do know they really, really, like Chase Reid. If there's a play involving Knies to get a top-five pick, maybe that factors in as well.

But Pagnotta didn't stop there, and explained the potential holdup could be waiting to see if Reid is even available after the first three picks:

It won't affect number one but if he's available at number four, this may be a draft day type thing where he's available, they reconvene with Buffalo; maybe that's a scenario.

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If that's the case it makes sense why we've heard that there is progress regarding a Knies deal but nothing has materialized.

Matthew Knies for Chase Reid seems like a wild decision but there's clear motivation behind it

Look, as much as Knies will help the lineup now and the team does need to wait a year for Reid to come out of the NCAA since he already committed; it's apples to oranges. Reid is one of the most unique, talented and special offensive defenders we've seen in quite some time and it's more akin to a fourth forward on the ice.

His vision is impeccable, he's as fast as the wind, and Elite Prospects has him showing shades of Zach Werenski - who Toronto has been linked to and just won the Norris. Not a bad pick whatsoever.

Toronto has never had a player like him not only in the Matthews era, but potentially in decades since the team saw Borje Salming dominate the blueline (in my opinion). No offence to Morgan Rielly, but Reid trumps him and then some and as we've seen from successful and winning teams; it's the backend that drives a lot of that.

The only issue here is that trading Knies within the division is going to make life miserable for the Maple Leafs when they play and the fact they couldn't strike when Chicago still held the pick (and reportedly asked for a huge haul) is a bit disappointing in that regard.

Toronto is pretty set on the wing for the foreseeable future with Gavin McKenna, Easton Cowan, William Nylander, and Nick Robertson. Not to mention young stars like Miroslav Holinka, Tyler Hopkins, Brandon Buhr, and Borya Valis all trying to stake their claim as well.

That's a lot of bodies to work through and if Knies can bring in someone who can transform the franchise into a dual threat with Reid and McKenna leading the charge then we could see something incredible in a short amount of time.

But it does involve losing Knies for what it's worth, and John Chayka may have to think long and hard whether that's worth it especially if they're expecting to compete now.

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