Player Discussion Matthew Knies | Built for the Playoffs

[sunstersun]

Personally I agree with you. Issue is, ownership/management want to win now.

If it was up to me, I'd ship out Matthews/Nylander for whatever you can get, wouldn't have signed Raddysh, rebuild around McKenna/Knies/Cowan and ideally grab a D-man in the top 10 of this draft.

But these guys have their mindset on competing now, for that reason, Werenski makes sense.

We have no choice, we don't own our pick. It makes the youth rebuild angle a lot less attractive.

 

[Hellcat]

How do you know TOR doesn't circle back on MTL's offer?

TBH I dont know, that rumor was floating around earlier this week too. If I was a Toronto GM and a GM of an Eastern team calls me about Knies, there better be a damn good return, Knies would murder the Leafs every time we played his new team.

If it is Montreal, its Hage, Kapanen and a blue chip prospect defender for me.

 

[Leafsfan74]

Panthers just picked up Garnet Hathaway.

They are not interested in advanced stats or A.I recommendations. This guy likes to hit things that move. Leafs need to address the same problems they have had for a decade so hearing Knies name bandied about is peculiar to me.

Panthers are building a playoff-only team. The question will be in net. If they do not have a legit goalie, making the playoffs isn't a guarantee. If they get in, it will be tough sledding for the opposition.

 

[Carl Lindros]

Yeah could be, could be. Maybe they'll shock us all and go completely allin - keep Kines who's about to hit his prime and instead, trade McKenna for someone like Werenski and a few other "win now" pieces.

I've never thought about this until now, trading the player after the pick is made...Interesting.

With Chayka "working in football" (his own words) NFL teams show little interest or loads of interest in players they are going to draft all the time as a way of keeping them on the board. They will go use their interviews to talk to guys they have zero interest in drafting as some type of poker face strategy. It wouldn't shock me if Chayka does something different than what everyone expects him to.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Gary Nylund]

We have no choice, we don't own our pick. It makes the youth rebuild angle a lot less attractive.

IMHO McKenna makes the youth rebuild angle very attractive. On one hand we want to win now (also taaractive), but on the other hand we want to win when McKenna hits his prime. Balancing both those wants is tricky, but that's the situation we're in now. Good thing we have a GM who's bold, and that's what we need right now (or so I'm told ).

As far as the bolded goes, that's not the only factor to base decisions on. We have picks in other rounds, we have 1st round picks again in a couple of years, we have assets we can trade for high picks and McKenna is still probably at least 4 years away from hitting his prime so we have plenty of time to get ready for that.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[hockeywiz542]

Real Kyper's Trade Board 8.0: What to expect during draft week and beyond

As we get to draft week the NHL's trade market has explosive potential for action now, and into the summer. Nick Kypreos updates his trade board with players of all types who could be moved.

www.sportsnet.ca

As Toronto’s new front office puts its mark on this roster, with clear intentions of being a playoff team again in 2027, they are considering almost every option and Knies is caught up in that. A 23-year-old winger with excellent size and upside after a career-best 63-point season, the Maple Leafs are listening to the many calls they’re getting on Knies to weigh the potential returns. While a deadline deal with Montreal nearly came to pass and will be explored again with the Canadiens, there are several other teams with plenty of interest.

Regardless if they trade Knies or not, the Leafs are looking for a buyer in the event John Chayka can hit a home run. That would need to work around a return of two roster players and a draft pick coming back.

There is a link to Toronto here and it's that Werenski's agent, Judd Moldaver, is the same as Auston Matthews' and they both have contracts expiring in two years. The first question is: would Werenski be willing to come to Toronto? The second question is, if so, what kind of offer would it take from the Leafs to get him from Columbus? Would a deal around Matthew Knies and Colorado's 2027 first-round pick be a good place to start? Does prospect defenceman Ben Danford excite anyone after his performance in the Calder Cup playoffs? Would the Jackets want to explore having Rielly in this package? If Werenski is willing to come up north and Columbus acts as quickly as Ottawa did with Tkachuk, this could be a go big or go home chance for Toronto.

 

[Gabriel426]

What is the plan for BJs? As I don’t follow them, are they in rebuild mode or they just want to be a playoffs team?

 

[Leafs98]

Its the running back parallel in NFL. He's had some injuries. BUT... I hope he stays, plays aware and is a healthy force going forward, but some uncertainty with that.

 

[Hellcat]

What is the plan for BJs?

 

[Hellcat]

What is the plan for BJs? As I don’t follow them, are they in rebuild mode or they just want to be a playoffs team?

CBJ told Werenski that they are going to talk after the draft = subtitle hint that he is not being traded at the draft.

The guy just won the Norris, that would be like the Leafs trading Matthews the summer after he won the Rocket.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[TimeZone]

I still don't see Knies going anywhere, nor do I think he should unless the offer is completely and totally out of this world.

Seeing Knies dominate us on a divisional rival like Buffalo the next 10-15 years would be ...so, so painful.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Gary Nylund]

I still don't see Knies going anywhere, nor do I think he should unless the offer is completely and totally out of this world.

Seeing Knies dominate us on a divisional rival like Buffalo the next 10-15 years would be ...so, so painful.

Or he could have many ups and downs, another concussion or two and never pan out as a dominant force.

He's my favorite player, but if trading him makes us better I'm all for it. And an offer doesn't have to completely and totally out of this world" either, just make the team better and I'd pull the trigger.

 

[thewave]

Say we get the #2

Who are we picking?

 

[TimeZone]

Or he could have many ups and downs, another concussion or two and never pan out as a dominant force.

He's my favorite player, but if trading him makes us better I'm all for it. And an offer doesn't have to completely and totally out of this world" either, just make the team better and I'd pull the trigger.

He could, but he's significantly more proven at the NHL level than mystery box A, B or C.

 

[Gary Nylund]

He could, but he's significantly more proven at the NHL level than mystery box A, B or C.

Of course, that's the nature of a "mystery box". Then again, every player in the league was a "mystery box" at some point, that's just the way it is and it's also far from certain how the next 10 years of Knies' career goes, or if he even plays for that long.

If we could trade him for a "mystery box" with a massive potential upside, let's say someone who has a good chance of being a franchise Dman who we can build our blue line around for the next 15 years, it would be foolish to not consider such a move because Knies is "more proven".

 

[Snip Genos]

Say we get the #2

Who are we picking?

Smits

 

[TimeZone]

Of course, that's the nature of a "mystery box". Then again, every player in the league was a "mystery box" at some point, that's just the way it is and it's also far from certain how the next 10 years of Knies' career goes, or if he even plays for that long.

If we could trade him for a "mystery box" with a massive potential upside, let's say someone who has a good chance of being a franchise Dman who we can build our blue line around for the next 15 years, it would be foolish to not consider such a move because Knies is "more proven".

To me the only mystery box that really hits that upside is Reid, possibly Carels...if Reid is gone at #3, you're taking a real gamble with Carels, he has great numbers but his offensive skill set is very vanilla and nothing screams big point producer at the next level.

We know Knies is already a top line power forward at just 23, he finished with a 68 point pace battling significant injuries last season, if I'm moving a unicorn, I need multiple pieces coming back. It would be 4++ if I'm flipping Knies to Buffalo, especially if Reid is gone.

 

[Gary Nylund]

To me the only mystery box that really hits that upside is Reid, possibly Carels...if Reid is gone at #3, you're taking a real gamble with Carels, he has great numbers but his offensive skill set is very vanilla and nothing screams big point producer at the next level.

We know Knies is already a top line power forward at just 23, he finished with a 68 point pace battling significant injuries last season, if I'm moving a unicorn, I need multiple pieces coming back. It would be 4++ if I'm flipping Knies to Buffalo, especially if Reid is gone.

I get it, Knies is a very valuable commodity and if we trade him, we obviously have to get something very valuable back. I'm just tired of people shitting all over picks because they're nothing more than "mystery boxes" or "magic beans" (not saying that's you). I also agree about Reid, he's the guy I'd be most interested in as well. He might be a "mystery box, but he's very interesting, and very attractive mystery box. Knies holds a lot of value, but the same can be said about some "mystery boxes". If was up to me though, I'd rather keep Knies and move Matthews but I guess that's not going to happen.

 

[nuck]

To me the only mystery box that really hits that upside is Reid, possibly Carels...if Reid is gone at #3, you're taking a real gamble with Carels, he has great numbers but his offensive skill set is very vanilla and nothing screams big point producer at the next level.

We know Knies is already a top line power forward at just 23, he finished with a 68 point pace battling significant injuries last season, if I'm moving a unicorn, I need multiple pieces coming back. It would be 4++ if I'm flipping Knies to Buffalo, especially if Reid is gone.

Would love Carels. 85 point pace, good skating two way guy and physical. I don't think his skills are quite equal to Reid's but if you don't need a RD in particular and value the extra physicality he brings, it screams top pair guy to me.

 

[nuck]

Say we get the #2

Who are we picking?

It doesn't fill a particular need but I think it has to be Stenberg. If he and McKenna are as advertised you go from needing centers good enough to drive your lines to just needing pretty good centers. I value a #1 D more than a sniping winger and I am sure there will be two or three of those D going top 10 but the floor for Sten and McKenna seems higher than the D options. Its a weird build formula but there have been a bunch of wingers who have carried their lines over the years.

 

[Trapper]

IMHO McKenna makes the youth rebuild angle very attractive. On one hand we want to win now (also taaractive), but on the other hand we want to win when McKenna hits his prime. Balancing both those wants is tricky, but that's the situation we're in now. Good thing we have a GM who's bold, and that's what we need right now (or so I'm told ).

As far as the bolded goes, that's not the only factor to base decisions on. We have picks in other rounds, we have 1st round picks again in a couple of years, we have assets we can trade for high picks and McKenna is still probably at least 4 years away from hitting his prime so we have plenty of time to get ready for that.

Scoring another top 5 pick for Knies plus prospect (like a young 2C) is the way to go IMO. That doesn’t mean you can’t still try to win with the current core of Matthews/Nylander/Tavares/Raddysh/Stolarz(if being kept) while grooming the next core with actual NHL talent and not starting from scorched earth. It’s the same way Pastrnak and McAvoy learned from Bergeron/Marchand/etc. when coming into the league. Actual NHL talent to back up the learning process. This is the way to go IMO.