Who would you be comfortable giving up?
Acquiring any of these players will come at a price — some steeper than others — and may test Dubas’ willingness to surrender his most valuable trade chips. So with that in mind, let’s rank Toronto’s top-five assets ahead of next month’s trade deadline.Knies, selected in the second round by the Maple Leafs in 2021, is widely regarded as the franchise’s top prospect and has garnered plenty of attention league-wide over the last few seasons.
As impressive as the left-hander was in 2021-22, he’s been even better this season, notching 17 goals and 30 points in 28 contests while skating alongside fellow top prospects Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud on the Gophers’ top line.At 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, Knies is the most NHL-ready prospect in Toronto’s pipeline, but he is also the player everyone else wants. That doesn’t mean Dubas should be in any rush to trade him, though.
But if the front office has an opportunity to acquire a top-six forward, one that isn’t a rental, parting ways with Knies may become necessary.The Maple Leafs are extremely thin on defence in the minors, with the top tier of their prospect system consisting of talented forwards. There is, however, one standout among the group: Topi Niemelä, a third-round selection from 2020.
The 5-foot-11 righty continued his offensive dominance with Kärpät last season, posting 10 goals and 32 points in 48 games, setting a new Liiga record for most points in a season by an under-20 defenceman. Better yet, his scoring prowess didn’t compromise his defensive impact.
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