The Toronto Maple Leafs plan roster improvements under general manager John Chayka and aim to make the playoffs next season. Speculation suggests they could trade winger Matthew Knies during a rebuild. The logic is tied to winning the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and likely selecting Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 pick, potentially overlapping with Knies’ top-six role. Knies’ contract runs until 2031 with a $7.75-million AAV, creating strong value. However, trading him risks losing a player expected to become a long-term high scorer and point producer, with playoff physicality and competitiveness that are hard to replace. Draft picks and prospects could offset the loss if the return matches his ceiling.
"The thought process behind it is still solid. The Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and with the No. 1 pick are most likely selecting Gavin McKenna -- a left winger who will take up a spot in the top six that typically has belonged to Knies. Partner that with having Knies on maybe the most sweetheart of a contract as he's signed until 2031 on a contract with just a $7.75-million AAV and dreaming of what a team might pay to get that kind of player on that kind of deal. It makes some sense."
"But there's a massive glaring issue. Depending on what they can get back, they are going to be parting ways with a player who feels destined to score 30 goals and be a point-per-game player for years to come. Someone who will torture teams for the rest of the decade. And it's not even just the scoring, Knies is the kind of player that will excel in the playoffs in his prime years -- eight goals and 14 points in 27 playoff games so far isn't great but he was still developing."
"We all know he has that physicality to grind opponents down and get in their face and even get nasty with a couple players. You just don't get rid of that type of guy for nothing. Of course, if the Leafs suddenly get back a player with a similar ceiling, plus a bunch of draft picks and prospects, it will"
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