Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has poured cold water on speculation that the club might trade young power forward Matthew Knies this off-season. During a recent media availability, Chayka emphasized Knies' importance to the team's present and future.
Chayka's Stance on Knies
When John Chayka was introduced as Maple Leafs general manager last month, he highlighted Matthew Knies' unique skill set and assets. Amid ongoing trade rumors, Chayka stressed on Friday that he values what the 23-year-old winger brings every night.
"The idea that we're going to improve the roster by moving a top young player … anything's possible, I guess it's not probable," Chayka said during a Zoom call with media. "No doubt, I think (the speculation) makes for good writing and good interest for people, but as we think about our team, and how we improve, that's a tough bar to hurdle."
Chayka added, "As general manager, we're going to evaluate everything, but that's the job."
Win-Now Mode
The notion of trading Knies might be plausible if the Leafs were entering a rebuild. However, with the hiring of experienced coach Jim Hiller on Wednesday and the sign-and-trade involving defenceman Darren Raddysh, the Leafs are firmly in win-now territory. Trading Knies would contradict that direction.
As Chayka noted back in early May, players who provide what Knies does—especially those who are young and signed to favorable contracts—are not easy to acquire. Knies has five years remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $7.75 million US. If you have such a player, you keep him.
Centre Position Opportunity
Regarding the possibility of adding a centre in the coming weeks, Chayka acknowledged it as an area of opportunity. "We definitely see it as an area of opportunity," he said. However, he noted that many teams share that need. "I'd say probably three quarters of the team in the league would like to improve their centre position."
For now, the Leafs appear committed to retaining Knies as they push for a championship.
