The Toronto Maple Leafs have a big draft ahead of them soon as they enter the selection process with the first overall pick. They will likely use that pick to draft Gavin McKenna, the projected top prospect in this stacked class.
Beyond the obvious choice at first, there are other intriguing possibilities for Toronto to consider. In a draft with a plethora of top defenseman near the top of the board, it could be a smart play for general manager John Chayka to acquire another high pick in order to stockpile his team’s dry blueline. The question is how does he go about making this happen?
Toronto Could Pull Off Blockbuster Matthew Knies Trade with Chicago
No player on Toronto has been more involved in trade rumors heading into the offseason than forward Matthew Knies. The 23 year old American carries high trade value as a promising player who has not even entered his prime yet. He extended with Toronto on a long-term six year contract extension last summer. With that said, Knies’ place with the squad does not appear safe after a season that saw the Maple Leafs drop out of playoff contention.
Insider David Pagnotta believes Toronto will be willing to move Knies this summer for the right price. On the FAN Hockey Show, he stated: “With the needs that Toronto has and want to fill, I do wonder if there’s maybe the discussion of trying to get into a top 5 spot [in the draft]…potentially using Matthew Knies, we know Chicago’s interested.”
Why Would Toronto Move Knies?
For Toronto, they could use future’s assets on their defensive core. The team has an aging d-core with a lack of potential to look forward to in their organizational pipeline. Adding another top five pick would give them the chance to select one of the top defenseman in this draft. Players like Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff and Alberts Smits could be under consideration for them with that possible selection. Knies is a piece that should be able to garner them a haul in return that would make this a reality.
If the Chicago Blackhawks are the team Toronto calls up as Pagnotta suggests, targeting Knies makes sense for them. It is no secret that the Blackhawks are willing to move their fourth overall selection for immediate help. If Ivar Stenberg is off the board, general manager Kyle Davidson will likely be on the phone in the hopes of acquiring a star top-six forward that can help franchise player Connor Bedard. Chicago has been connected to Knies in the past, so it would not be surprising to see them re-visit a potential deal for him with Toronto.
It will be interesting to see what happens on draft day next week. This could be an active period beyond the draft floor with the prospect of trades adding further spice to the occasion. General managers around the league may aim to weaponize their assets towards increasing present odds at opening up their team’s contention window.
Toronto Could Use Matthew Knies to Acquire Another Top Draft Pick