Watching a traded player instantly thrive elsewhere is a rite of passage for the tortured Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase. Matthew Knies' spectacular debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets rubbed fresh salt into an open wound.
Seeing the young power forward, who has yet to scratch the surface of his sky-high ceiling, explode for two goals and a three-point performance in his first game with his new team immediately intensified the burning question on every fan's mind: Why did Toronto let him go? As anger and confusion ripple through the market, a recent episode of Sportsnet's Real Kyper and Bourne revealed a definitive answer as to why John Chayka and the front office made the move.
Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne pinpoint why Leafs traded Knies
Hosts Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne, and Sam McKee were watching a continuous highlight reel of Knies' dominant performance in his Blue Jacket debut when an exasperated McKee admitted, "I thought he (Knies) was going to be a part of my life for the next decade." Many Leafs fans shared the same sentiment.
Kypreos interjected, "They (the Leafs) didn't. though." He then suggested someone in the Maple Leafs organization had it out for Knies. "I think analytically they thought he sucked," said Kypreos.
"I think analytically they thought he sucked."Kypreos on the Leafs' viewpoint of Knies
Then Bourne gave his thoughts on Knies. "He didn't drive play," said Bourne. He stated that Knies got numbers and did things that got noticed, but he didn't do enough when he was not playing with Auston Matthews.
"When Knies was away from Matthews, his numbers were bad when he wasn't playing with really good players. So, they don't believe he's a driver of play," said Bourne, noting that Kirill Marchenko is the opposite.
Kypreos and Bourne's theory is valid. After trading for Marchenko, Chayka referenced the former Blue Jacket's ability to "dictate play" as a huge factor in trading away the Maple Leafs' best trade chip. Chayka described Marchenko as a "unique player" and someone that the Leafs were targeting.
Chayka mentioned Marchenko's ability to score and create offence as enticing factors that will translate when it matters (the playoffs). The Maple Leafs' GM stated that adding to the team's talent level, no matter the position, was an important consideration in the trade.
Easing the pain from Knies' exceptional start with his new team, Marchenko scored his first goal as a Maple Leaf during Toronto's 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Over his first three games with the Maple Leafs, Marchenko has exhibited the traits that attracted Chayka. Now, the hope for the Maple Leafs and their fans is that he keeps putting the puck in the net, helping them forget about Knies.
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