The Matthew Knies price tag: 3 'massive' offers the Leafs can't refuse
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
If it was to be thought that the Toronto Maple Leafs have an untouchable player in Matthew Knies, recent updates have shown that may be wrong.
A stunning report from Elliotte Friedman Thursday revealed that Matthew Knies is a player who could move, but cautioned that it would take an offer that is impossible to decline.
In an article, Friedman revealed that Knies being dealt would need to be an unbeatable return, with the Leafs management understanding that they are lacking in prospects and picks.
The chances of Auston Matthews getting traded now are equal to John Blutarsky's grade-point average. William Nylander and John Tavares aren't going anywhere. I heard some Matthew Knies, and that, to me, is the Maple Leafs seeing if there's a massive offer they can't turn down. That is the only way I see it happening. - Elliotte Friedman
(John Blutarsky is a character from the film Animal House played by the late, great John Belushi).
The Leafs have not signaled a wanting to deal Knies, but after trading Nicolas Roy to Colorado on Thursday for singular first and fifth round picks, Toronto has shown an interest in prospects and picks, and Knies is the one player who brings back the largest haul.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a few offers that could make sense in dealing Knies. These proposals are not that of the author, but based on potential "alluring" options.
Option 1: Toronto gets the top trade asset in Robert Thomas
The most impactful player currently on the trade block with a strong chance of being dealt is St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas.
Thomas, 26, has 13 goals, 24 assists, & 37 points this season for a bottom feeder Blues team in the league's basement, where he's only a point back of the team's lead in 17 less games than Pavel Buchnevich with 38 points.
With Auston Matthews have gone 10 games without a goal and John Tavares again, Toronto may need a reliable top-six center of the future, and while that is likely still Matthews, Thomas could be a reliable #2 behind Matthews as Tavares moves to the wing.
Thomas makes $8.125M until 2031. But does Thomas make sense for Toronto? Yes they may want a future top-six center, but for Matthew Knies?
It's difficult to justify, but Toronto likely wants much more for Knies than just Thomas, and that may not be in the Blues interest. Toronto has kicked tires on Thomas, but unlikely that they want to give up Knies in the process.
St. Louis may be hypothetically willing to give up one more piece, but the trade won't net a haul. For the Blues, most mock proposals view them as adding prospects for their rebuild, and adding multiple pieces.
Knies for Thomas is an awkward trade for both sides, but a fun one neither team has as perfect fits.
Option 2: The "prospect" trade for a potential rebuild
Let's say that the Toronto Maple Leafs want to commit to a rebuild, and go young, one of the best youth groups that are oozing talent is the Chicago Blackhawks.
No, Connor Bedard isn't for sale, but Chicago has a plethora of talent on both offense and defense within the pipeline and emerging on their roster.
On offense, one of the most exciting young players in the league is Oliver Moore. One of the speediest players in hockey, Moore has elite footwork and skating speed, highly deceptive with creativity to match, something Toronto sorely needs.
One player Moore reminds of is Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. Moore is still waiting for the offense to come a bit more, but Moore can do more with his talent level.
Chicago has a few other captivating forward prospects such as 6'6 raw prospect Mason West and 5'9 Russian highlight reel creator Roman Kantserov. The Blackhawks also have two underrated personal favorites in Marek Vanacker and John Mustard, both highly inventive forwards.
Defensively, the Blackhawks also have some promising defenseman, and a logjam that might eventually become cleared.
Artyom Levshunov is looking like he's found his place in the Blackhawks lineup, and while Toronto would love to have someone like him on the blueline, Sam Rinzel is someone who still has something to prove, and has the size and strength to be an NHL.
Moore, Rinzel, & a first for Knies is a fun return, but does lack a true NHL piece. Andre Burakovsky makes sense to balance the cap. Does it do enough to move Knies? Maybe not.
Option 3: An American young star swap
If the Toronto Maple Leafs want to really go all-in on a new center, and aren't sold on Robert Thomas. Is Matthew Knies for Logan Cooley 1-for-1 fair?
To start the season, the answer would have been a very firm no on Utah's end, but Cooley hasnt had the breakout season perhaps hoped, with an injury in December slowing his process after missing nearly two months.
Cooley has appeared in just 34 games for Utah this season, with 15 goals and 26 points. He is capable of playing on the wing, but looks like a #1 center.
It's the fact that Cooley is a potential top-line center that makes trading him a big uncertainty. Cooley has a $10M contract that kicks in next season, so he'd be Toronto's marquee add.
If Toronto wants to do a prospect focus traded, one deal that could make sense is top prospect forwards Caleb Desnoyers or Tij Iginla, along with big RHD Max Psenicka and a first round pick, along with Lawson Crouse for financial balance.
Iginla and Desnoyers give Brad Treliving his much needed top prospect, and maybe that's more valuable than an instant player. Iginla could be NHL ready as soon as next season, Desnoyers highly mature and perhaps 1-2 years away.
So which of these make the most sense? It's tough really, because moving Knies for prospects doesn't make sense for Toronto's goals, and someone like Cooley or Thomas for Knies might not excite opposing GM's.
This is why Matthew Knies is likely to remain a Toronto Maple Leaf, because a trade for Knies is complicated with his stature as an established top-six forward.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 6|506 ANSWERS The Matthew Knies price tag: 3 'massive' offers the Leafs can't refuse Which Matthew Knies trade scenario is the most realistic and logical? | ||
| To STL for Robert Thomas and a conditional 1st | 181 | 35.8 % |
| To CHI for Moore, Rinzel, Burakovsky, & a 1st | 70 | 13.8 % |
| To UTH for Logan Cooley | 66 | 13 % |
| To UTH for Iginla/Desnoyers, Psenicka, Crouse, 1st | 189 | 37.4 % |
| List of polls | ||