Matthew Knies’ name entered the rumor mill in the 24 hours leading up to the trade deadline, and while he didn’t end up being moved, it’s a situation that will continue to be talked about and monitored moving forward.
The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have many options for making a big splash while building around Auston Matthews and William Nylander. As a result, Knies—who has no trade protection—emerged as a legitimate piece they could consider dealing to get something of value in return.
Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman discussed this in his post-deadline 32 Thoughts podcast, adding that he wondered about a possible Maple Leafs–Devils trade involving Knies and young defenseman Simon Nemec.
“I’ll say this with the whole Matthew Knies thing—one of the guys I wondered about was Nemec. Now, I don’t think Nemec for Knies one-for-one makes any sense for Toronto, but I do think that is the kind of thing those two teams would have talked about. The Devils have players with no-trade clauses, so I think it could have been a factor there. But when I heard they were looking for a forward for a D, Nemec for Knies—at least the idea of that made a lot of sense,”
The 23-year-old Knies is in the first year of the six-year, $46.5 million extension he signed with the Maple Leafs this summer, which notably includes no trade protection until a partial no-movement clause in 2030-31, the final year of the deal. Nemec, 22, is a pending RFA in the third and final year of the three-year entry-level contract he signed with the Devils upon being drafted in 2022.
Knies has recorded 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) in 60 games played this season, while Nemec has tallied 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) through 48 games in New Jersey.
While, as Friedman mentioned, Toronto would likely seek more than just Nemec in a package for Knies, he is the kind of young talent with upside that would interest GM Brad Treliving.
The Maple Leafs have lacked mobile, puck-moving defensemen for years, and the former second-overall pick (2022) would certainly provide that. Although Nemec remained a Devil past the deadline, there’s a decent chance his name resurfaces in trade talks this summer, making him a player to keep an eye on moving forward.
Much the same can be said for Knies, a situation Nick Kypreos expects we’ll be discussing again come the offseason.
Next: Insider Suggests Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin’s Futures Could Be Offseason Topics
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