Is this Toronto Maple Leafs fan favourite on the trade block?

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies is coming off the best season of his young career, but according to one hockey insider, the team's newest management could be ready to let him go if the price is right.

TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger appeared on TSN 1050 radio on Thursday and suggested there could be some movement coming in the Maple Leafs lineup, with Knies' name headlining the trade rumours.

"I had a couple of teams say to me that [John] Chayka's view on whether or not Matthew Knies is legitimately a piece they would part with seems to change from one day to the next," Dreger said.

Dreger also put himself in the shoes of the Maple Leafs general manager, saying that he wouldn't let go of Knies unless somebody dropped an offer the franchise could not refuse.

From a trade value standpoint, Knies is probably one of the most valuable young trade assets in the league, considering there are still five years left on his six-year, $46.5 million deal he signed with the Maple Leafs before the 2025-26 season. 

Drafted 57th overall by Toronto in 2021 out of the University of Minnesota, the 6-foot-3, 232-pound winger has evolved into an exceptional power forward. The 23-year-old scored 66 points last season, so it would seem counterintuitive to trade him. 

Certainly, it would be a bold move to make by Chayka.