Maple Leafs Should Think Twice About Trading Matthew Knies
Matthew Knies keeps popping up in trade rumours around the Maple Leafs, and on some level, you can understand why. Toronto still has major holes down the middle and on defence, and if another team calls with a serious offer, management has to at least listen. That’s just how the NHL has to at least work. But the conversation around moving Knies has probably gone a bit too far at this point.
Knies is more than an average winger.
The biggest thing working in Knies’ favour is that he’s not just another winger. Wing may not be considered a premium position, but players with Knies’ combination of size, skating, skill, and physical presence are incredibly rare. John Chayka recently pointed that out, saying it would be hard to find a better player than Knies, and he’s not wrong. Most teams spend years trying to draft and develop a player with that profile. Toronto already has one, and he’s only turning 24 this fall.
What’s even more impressive is that Knies actually took a step forward offensively last season despite losing an elite linemate like Mitch Marner. His goals dipped from 29 to 23 as his shooting percentage normalized, but he still improved from 58 points in 78 games to 66 points in 79 games. On a Maple Leafs team that struggled for long stretches, that kind of growth matters. He’s also signed long-term at a reasonable cap hit, which only increases his value to Toronto.
Knies has more to his game, which will be shown over the next few seasons.
That said, there’s still another level for Knies to reach, and it has less to do with offence. The team needs him to become more of a physical tone-setter. Nobody’s asking him to become an enforcer, but when you’re built the way Knies is, there’s an expectation you occasionally step in when teammates take cheap shots or liberties. He’s shown he can stand up for himself, but the next evolution of his game may be learning when to stand up for others, too.
In a perfect world, Toronto would build around Knies rather than move him. With the organization preparing to add another elite young talent through the draft, having a player like Knies around becomes even more important. Easton Cowan brings plenty of feistiness, but the Leafs shouldn’t rely on smaller young players to do all the heavy lifting physically. Knies is uniquely equipped for that role while still contributing to the top-six offence.
My call? Listen to trade offers, but don’t trade this maturing young player.
At the end of the day, you can understand why teams would ask about Knies. Players like him don’t become available very often. That’s exactly why the Maple Leafs should be extremely careful about trading him away.