The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to be busy the next few weeks, and that could involve trading young power forward Matthew Knies for an absolute haul.
While a whole lot of NHL executives believe that the Leafs will eventually trade Knies, as new general manager John Chayka looks to make a sizeable deal to upgrade on multiple positions on this team, it isn't something that is guaranteed to happen.
But now, after hearing what exactly the Leafs could get in a Knies trade, it's understandable why Chayka is listening in on offers.
Blackhawks dangling top pick in Matthew Knies trade talks with Leafs
According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, the Chicago Blackhawks are heavily interested in Knies. They view him as the perfect acquisition to counterbalance Connor Bedard's supreme skill and give them some more jam on the wing. Basically doing exactly what they wanted Tyler Bertuzzi to do ever since they acquired him, but with a much higher ceiling.
And, the Blackhawks are willing to part with their top pick of the 2026 NHL Draft to make this happen.
"Toronto continues to field calls on Matthew Knies. The Blackhawks have been interested for a while, as Knies (23) fits their age range to grow with Connor Bedard and the rest of their emerging core. The No. 4 pick from Chicago is absolutely in play," Kaplan wrote Tuesday.
The Blackhawks have the fourth-overall pick this Friday, so a deal would obviously have to happen in the next few days, but it does seem like that could be the centerpiece of a deal. It wouldn't make the Leafs better, but it would certainly give them a brighter future and a clearer path forward.
It would certainly open a can of worms that would lead us to believe that Auston Matthews is not going to be re-signing in Toronto and then turning the team to a more full-on rebuild with Gavin McKenna and the No. 4 pick as the cornerstones. But that's for another day to worry about.
Who could the Leafs get at 4th-overall?
There are some very exciting options at fourth overall. In the scenario that the San Jose Sharks go with a defenseman at No. 2, and the Vancouver Canucks keep it in the family and draft Caleb Malhotra, the Leafs could snatch up both Ivar Stenberg and McKenna in the top five; guaranteeing them to have a very powerful top six for years to come.
And if the Canucks don't get him, Caleb Malhotra is certainly an option to come out of that first round with both the top center and the top winger of the draft.
Maybe the Leafs want to go with a defenseman though, to spread out the wealth. Chase Reid, if he's not taken in the top three, seems to be the best option on the blue line, but it also wouldn't be crazy for them to look at Carson Carels or Alberts Smits as long-term options and the best defenseman prospect this team has had since Morgan Rielly.
There are going to be insanely good prospects available, no matter what. And now it has us thinking if this is a possibility.
Maybe if Chicago lumps in an exciting young talent like Oliver Moore, and a reclamation project like Kevin Korchinski, we'd really start thinking about this seriously.
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