Travis Dermott to be traded, plus an NHL audition for Matthew Knies??
We are set to enter the final weekend before the NHL's March 21st trade deadline on Monday and there's no shortage of rumours relating to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman has confirmed that the Leafs are currently among the busiest teams, along with Colorado, St. Louis, Calgary, Boston and Los Angeles.
In terms of what's being talked about with regard to the Leafs, Friedman believes that the Leafs are currently out on Lindholm, given the ridiculous asking price for the rental defenseman.
In addition, Friedge believes that the Leafs are looking to move Travis Dermott, who will find himself back into the lineup on Saturday in Nashville. Likely one last showcase before the deadline.
Dermott, a former 2nd round pick, has not quite lived up to expectations in Toronto and has fallen out of favour with the coaching staff. Dermott is often the team's 7th defenseman, only making his way into the lineup when the injury bug bites.
Finally, perhaps the most intriguing tidbit, Friedman revealed that there's very good chance that the Leafs will give NCAA prospect Matthew Knies a shot in the NHL in April, when his collegiate season wraps up.
Knies was selected by the Leafs in the 2nd round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and has just had the honour of representing Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. He was also named to the American World Junior team, which was derailed due to COVID in January.
If Knies does get a crack in the Leafs' lineup, it will be interesting what sort of an impact he might have at the NHL level. I would imagine that a strong audition could earn him consideration for next year's team straight out of training camp. An unbelievable audition could land him in a similar position to the one Nick Robertson found himself in during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Toronto bubble.
| POLL | ||
MARS 18 | 289 ANSWERS Travis Dermott to be traded, plus an NHL audition for Matthew Knies?? Will we see Matthew Knies in a Leafs jersey full time next season? | ||
| Not a chance | 38 | 13.1 % |
| Absolutely | 107 | 37 % |
| No use rushing him | 144 | 49.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
