Maple Leafs Rising Star Just Got Named in Flawed Trade Plan by Canucks Insider

Matthew Knies has emerged as one of the Maple Leafs’ most promising young players, coming off back-to-back seasons of 23 and 29 goals alongside Auston Matthews. What makes him attractive to Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal isn’t necessarily his goal production (although that helps). It’s his contract status, one that wouldn’t allow him to block a trade to a team like the Canucks.

Dhaliwal listed Knies, along with a handful of other players, as the type of assets the Canucks should chase. Noting that there is nothing blocking a trade beyond finding the right return, it might be that Vancouver’s only hope for attracting solid talent is taking advantage of their limited leverage.

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Speaking on his podcast, Dhaliwal urged the Canucks front office to pursue young, cost-controlled players who lack no-move clauses, specifically naming Knies alongside Columbus’ Kent Johnson and Seattle’s Shane Wright. “Get those guys under 25 that have no moves. They don’t have no moves, so they can’t block a trade for Vancouver,” Dhaliwal said. “Go get Kent Johnson, Shane Wright, Matthew Knies. They’re all under 25 and they have no trade protection. Those are the guys that they got to go get.”

The idea is interesting in theory, but it’s not without its flaws.

Just because a player can’t block a trade doesn’t mean that player has any desire to join the team he’s being traded to. In today’s NHL, trade protection officially gives a player leverage, but there are more and more instances where the power is landing in the star’s lap, not the team’s.

If Knies, Wright, or Johnston don’t want to be in Vancouver — which is kind of what Dhaliwal’s theory is based upon — then why acquire a player who will leave at the first opportunity? Why bring in someone who isn’t keen on being a Canuck? This is not to say that any of the three players are against being in Vancouver, but if the idea is to chase players simply because they can’t block a trade, what message is that sending?

Knies’ emergence as a legitimate top-six scoring threat and his lack of trade protection make him an attractive player on the market. Whether Toronto has any actual interest in moving him is a separate question. Dhaliwal’s comments seem to suggest the Canucks are so desperate they have to chase guys with little control over their careers.

In Wright’s case, he’s an RFA at the end of next season. All he has to do is say he won’t sign an extension and the Canucks are stuck. The same goes for Johnston. Knies is locked in, but he would instantly become one of Vancouver’s top players. Do you want to force one of your top players to play for you?

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Oilers, Maple Leafs & Senators Ready to Boo