Matthew Knies' trade value for the Toronto Maple Leafs is surprisingly comparable to that of Auston Matthews, drawing attention from NHL teams. This offseason, both players are central to trade discussions.
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Matthews Knies' trade value for Maple Leafs compares shockingly to Auston Matthews originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' offseason trade rumor headlines will be highlighted by Auston Matthews.
Don't forget about Matthew Knies, though. Teams around the NHL certainly aren't.
In fact, one team might value Knies more than Matthews.
"I had someone say to me who works for an NHL team, if we were trading right now, we'd give up more for Matthew Knies than for Auston Matthews," NHL insider Chris Johnston said in a recent radio appearance.
Does that sound off base? Yeah, a decent bit. It's probably not the way everyone thinks.
But beginning with Knies' contract, there probably are reasons to feel this way.
Compared to Matthews, Knies is in a great contract situation.
He just began the first year of a six-year deal. He'll be paid $7.75 million in each year of his deal that runs through the 2030-31 season.
Considering that Knies is just 23 years old, everything about that sounds good for an acquiring team. It would make his trade cost high, but it would also make the possible return on investment a long-lasting one.
Matthew Knies' trade value is shockingly similar to that of Auston Matthews, indicating significant interest from NHL teams.
Teams are interested in Matthew Knies due to his rising potential and the impact he could have on their rosters.
Auston Matthews' trade value influences the Maple Leafs' strategy by shaping their offseason decisions and potential trades.
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Knies also has a lot of ways to be successful as a physical 6-foot-3, 231-pound winger.
Matthews, on the other hand, has two years left on his deal. Anyone trading for him will have to consider whether it's worth pursuing a contract extension with him beyond the 2027-28 season, or whether it's simply a pickup for two seasons.
The Leafs have been led by Matthews for years, and he's the captain, but Knies has some desirable traits that certainly give him strong trade value, too.