Hurricanes and Leafs Reportedly Discussing Blockbuster Trade Involving Knies and Rantanen
According to sources, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes are reportedly discussing a blockbuster involving Matthew Knies and Mikko Rantanen.
In what is sure to be a hectic 24 hours, the NHL Trade Deadline is set to culimnate in a flurry of deals that will either make teams' playoff dreams a reality, or bring in a crushing disappointment regardless of how hard they tried to improve.
So with the Carolina Hurricanes trying to figure out Mikko Rantanen's future and looking to add to their future plans, they are reportedly discussing a massive trade involving the Toronto Maple Leafs; specifically Matthew Knies.
According to David Pagnotta, the Hurricanes would entertain a Rantanen for Knies package (with some others involved as well no doubt) and the wildest caveat of this whole situation is that Treliving would be willing to pull it off with a commitment.
It would be a stunning turn of events for both teams and would no doubt change the landscape of this year's playoffs as well as for years to come.
Toronto's Blockbuster Proposal Would Shift Playoffs
For the Maple Leafs, it would be giving up a strong contender to lead the team down the line and a potential future superstar in the league. Knies has been incredibly good in his short time with the team and he's been a vital part of the team's identity the past two years.
But he's also a restricted free agent and getting him off the books could give Carolina a bit more pause during free agency, and provides Toronto a chance to use that money to re-sign Rantanen, and perhaps one of either John Tavares or Mitch Marner (though that's the longest of shots).
In 58 games this season, Knies has 24 goals and 17 assists while adding a plus/minus of 0 in 18:25 TOI.
Speaking of Rantanen, a lot of this deal lies on his shoulders.
If he's committed to winning with the Maple Leafs and thinks they offer a better shot than the Hurricanes than he's going to take it. He wants to get paid, he's already won but winning in Toronto means a much bigger pay check come July.
This season, Rantanen has 27 goals and 43 assists with time spent between Colorado and Carolina.
Though adding a proven playoff producer to a team who has had a stark lack of that over the past few seasons would be a massive coup for Brad Treliving (and more impactful than Brayden Schenn) but it's clearly going to cost a fortune.
There's nothing that says this trade is even remotely close to being a done deal, but where there's smoke, there's fire.
