Following the NHL Trade Deadline, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Chicago Blackhawks were among the teams that had called the Toronto Maple Leafs about promising young winger Matthew Knies. The fact that Chicago was interested in Knies isn’t a surprise. In 2022, they had the framework for a deal in place that would have sent Brandon Hagel and Marc-Andre Fleury to Toronto for a package involving Knies.
Both deals fell through, but regardless, the Blackhawks clearly value Knies. This makes perfect sense, and general manager (GM) Kyle Davidson should do everything he can to acquire him this offseason if he becomes available.
Knies the Perfect Linemate for Connor Bedard
Knies is an effective player in the NHL. He’s listed at 6-foot-3, 232 pounds and plays a physical game with skill at just 23 years old. He’s also cost-controlled after signing a six-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.750 million last June. That’s a reasonable number for Knies already, and as he continues to improve as the deal progresses and as the cap goes up, it should only get better.
He’s underwhelmed at times on a Maple Leafs team that has had a disastrous season. But he’s still posted 20 goals and 39 assists in 69 games while playing through a knee injury.
He’s also turned from a goal scorer into a playmaker over his two seasons in the NHL. In 2024-25, he posted an impressive 29 goals and 29 assists through 78 games. This year, he has already hit the 20-goal mark and recorded 10 more assists in 10 fewer games.
What makes him a great linemate for Bedard? Yes, Bedard has looked great playing alongside Ryan Greene, and fans are excited to see star prospect Anton Frondell get a run on the top line over Andre Burakovsky, who has struggled for most of the season. But Knies has experience playing with elite players, spending time on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in Toronto, and he thrived.
Related: Blackhawks Infuse New Energy with Frondell & Boisvert’s Upcoming Debuts
Knies can win puck battles in the corners and does well in front of the net, which would take a lot of the dirty work away from Bedard and maybe Frondell if that is where head coach Jeff Blashill decides to play his star prospect. It would also be great to see Bedard’s shot paired on the same line with a great net-front presence.
Cost to Acquire Knies
I have mentioned that Davidson must finally use some of the team’s assets to upgrade the roster and speed up the rebuild. This is the perfect opportunity to do that, even if the cost will be high.
A package deal for Knies would likely have to start with rookie Nick Lardis and then include a couple of picks. It’s a high price to pay. I’ve mentioned that Blashill needs to give Lardis more ice time, and he did on Tuesday night to his benefit. Lardis played 14:12 in a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders and scored a goal and two assists.
That said, Knies is a young, cost-controlled winger that every team wants in the modern NHL. On top of that, he can play with top-end players. Davidson needs to take a swing. A lot of people are looking at Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, but I don’t think he’ll leave Dallas. Knies is the perfect option if the Maple Leafs are willing to trade him. The Blackhawks should return to Knies this summer and finally make a deal happen.
