Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager Ryan Hardy commented on the trade rumors surrounding winger Matthew Knies.
A 23-year-old bruising winger who brings physical play and a scoring touch to the ice, Knies’ name has surprisingly been in trade rumors dating back to the NHL trade deadline in March, mostly because he has surplus value due to his team-friendly contract.
But according to Hardy, Knies isn’t going anywhere.
Ryan Hardy Comments on Matthew Knies Trade Rumors
Speaking on TSN’s OverDrive, Hardy commented on the Knies trade rumors.
As far as Hardy goes, they were blown out of proportion this season because the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs last year, and the team was trying to figure out how to improve the team for the coming season. But Hardy put Maple Leafs fans at ease with his comments, as the team wants to keep him in the fold.
“Because of all the protections that so many of our other players have, when it sort of hit rock bottom in the middle of the season, everybody looks and says, ‘Oh, how are they gonna make the team better?’ And I think that’s been one that, for whatever reason, has gained a lot of steam,” he said. “And the reality is that Matthew Knies is a guy that, players like him and him as an individual are guys that help you win the Stanley Cup. And every team needs guys like that to help you win the Stanley Cup,” Hardy said (via Yardbarker).
It makes sense to keep Knies in the Maple Leafs’ lineup, unless the team is absolutely blown away by a trade offer, as he is the type of player who is more likely to help the team win the Stanley Cup than not.
Matthew Knies Could Play With Auston Matthews Next Year
As for which line Knies will play on next year, since he is a left winger, the team will have to decide whether they want him on the top line with captain Auston Matthews or on the second line with John Tavares. The first line would be a no-brainer, but the Maple Leafs drafted Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 overall pick, and he plays the same position as Knies. So we’ll see what line Knies ends up playing on, but either way, the team loves his flexibility.
“He’s got some flexibility to play with Auston (Matthews), to play in some different situations, and he’s kind of built for the playoffs. We’re in contact with his group, you know, as you always are with all your players. But Matthew Knies is an important part of the Maple Leafs, and anything beyond that is really just speculation,” Hardy said.
It will certainly be interesting to see what new Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller does next year as far as his line combinations go, but one thing is for sure: unless some superstar like Zach Werenski is coming back the other way, and that’s unlikely to happen, then Knies is staying put.
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