Matthew Knies was just too expensive

One theme you heard in the immediate reaction to Tuesday’s acquisition of Bowen Bryam was why didn’t general manager Kyle Davidson use the fourth overall pick to bring in a winger to play with Connor Bedard. While that is a valid question and concern, the one winger many fans want to see in Chicago was not worth the asking price.

Knies was Just Too Expensive

There is no doubt that Davidson has been interested in Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies. He nearly acquired him back in 2022. He and then Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas agreed on a deal that would have sent Marc-Andre Fleury and Brandon Hagel to the Maple Leafs for Knies, Petr Mrazek, and at least one first-round pick. However, the trade was shot down by upper management in Toronto. It’s crazy to think what the trajectory of these two teams would have been had that trade gone through.

Davidson circled back on Knies this offseason, who is supposedly on the market. According to Scott Powers of The Athletic, the asking price for Knies was the fourth overall pick and one of the Blackhawks’ top players. Powers said the possible ask was Frank Nazar or Anton Frondell.

Just who the heck do the Maple Leafs think they have? Knies is a really good player who plays the style the Blackhawks desperately need, but that is just too much to give up for him. That asking price tells me that John Chayka isn’t serious about trading him. Had Davidson traded No. 4 and Frondell for Knies, the same people screaming that he hasn’t acquired a forward would lose their minds at what he gave.

So, instead, Davidson got into the Byram talks. According to various reports, the San Jose Sharks offered picks 9 and 27 and a prospect, while the New York Rangers were dangling the fifth-overall pick. Ultimately, the Buffalo Sabres chose the Blackhawks’ package. Davidson felt the fourth-overall pick, a second-rounder, and Louis Crevier were worth giving up to get a No. 1 defenseman just entering the prime of his career. I agree with that, even though Bedard still needs a dynamic linemate.

‘‘We’re going to provide him with the opportunity to become one of the top defensemen around the league, and we feel 100% wholehearted that he can and will be that guy,’’ Davidson said Wednesday. ‘‘So, when you take it like that, there aren’t many pieces around the league that are more valuable.”

Still Time to Make a Move

Davidson still may add another forward before the offseason is over. He still has three first-round picks in 2027 to offer up, or he could weaponize an offer sheet for someone like Mavrik Bourque or Pavel Dorofeyev. Otherwise, he feels confident that Roman Kantserov can be the guy we’ve been waiting three years for.

“We feel a player like 21-year-old Roman Kantserov, who just led the KHL in goals, is a pretty exciting option to put on the wing,” Davidson said. “Now, maybe if we traded for Roman instead of just signing him, it would be a little more exciting, and people would accept it as an option more than they currently do, but we can’t do anything about that.”

That’s a lot of pressure to put on a young player yet to dress for an NHL game, but if Kantserov is as good as advertised, he should welcome it. There is still a lot to happen before we get to training camp, so we’ll have to wait and see how the roster looks come September, which can’t get here fast enough.

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