With the 4 Nations tournament wrapped up and the regular season back in full swing, all eyes have turned to the upcoming NHL trade deadline. NHL teams have until 3 p.m. on March 7 to make whatever moves they’d like, whether it is to get an upgrade in the lineup for the playoffs or trading expiring contracts to get future picks.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are amongst the top teams in the Eastern Conference right now, and currently sit on top of the Atlantic Division. The team has some hard decisions to make that could shape its immediate and long-term future. While the Leafs have a star-studded roster, certain prospects will obviously be deemed close to untouchable, making them unlikely to be moved unless a monster trade is on the table.
Let’s look at these “untouchables” and see what it would take to potentially move them.
1. The Leafs top prospect
While he hasn’t entered the NHL as a regular yet, the buzz around Easton Cowan is real. With 51 points in 39 games with the London Knights, and a recent 65 game point streak, he has proven himself as a top prospect.
He is a skilled offensive forward that is hard to find in the draft, and he could also be a very useful piece of the Leafs offence for years in the future. He’s got the skill and vision for playmaking to be a top star in the league someday. While trade rumours suggest Cowan could be on the move, trading him could hurt the Leafs prospect pool. Unless we are looking at a legitimate top-six star player in a return, the possibility of moving Cowan should be low.
2. The closest to the NHL
While he is in the first year of his entry-level contract, Fraser Minten has split his time between the Maple Leafs and the Marlies. The Vancouver-born forward is known for his versatility and smart play as a defensive specialist. He is someone who has the potential to be a top-tier centre in the league thanks to high IQ plays and strong two-way play.
There have been some rumours and speculation from insiders that a player like Minten could be on the move. Nick Kypreos, a former NHL player and current analyst, stated, “I expect Minten or Cowan to be gone–pretty much–this time next week.” Trading Minten would be a significant move, just as it would be with Cowan, considering his age and potential. However, the Leafs may view him as expendable if it means the right piece would be available to help bolster their lineup for a deep playoff run.
Balancing the long-term value of these pieces will be a careful act that Brad Treliving will have to perform. Moving Minten or Cowan would only truly be worth it for a high-end piece the Leafs can keep long-term and not just a rental.
3. The newest member of the club
Ben Danford, selected 31st overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, was signed to a three-year entry-level contract in August 2024. The 18-year-old defensive prospect began the season with the Oshawa Generals.
However, this season has been impacted and hindered by setbacks, including a concussion suffered during rookie camp, which delayed his start to the season and has impacted his performance. Throughout the 54 games he has played, Danford has only been able to record five goals and 16 assists for 21 points, a drop from the season before which saw him put together 33 points in 64 games.
Regardless of these circumstances, Danford is still a valuable asset to the organization. The Leafs would be better to move cautiously when looking at trades for him. The Leafs would risk losing a major defensive asset in their prospect pool. He is the type of defenceman that Treliving likes, and would see as an asset on this team. Standing at 6’2″, Danford is a big gritty defencemen that is willing to put his body on the line when it comes to stopping pucks.
Trading Danford would open up a hole on the roster that the Leafs already have trouble filling. Keeping Danford around would be beneficial to the Leafs in the long run.
Is Knies still considered a prospect?
Knies would barely be a prospect at this point. While he is 22 years old, he has a decent amount of regular season and playoff experience on the NHL level playing alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on the first line.
While he is approaching restricted free agency, the status around Knies’ contract remains up in the air. He would be the strong candidate for what is considered an “untouchable”, a 22-year-old beast that is hard to play against, can screen the net, hit and score. He is everything the Leafs need from a forward, and Toronto currently has him on his entry-level contract.
He is playing at a level that players who earn five times what he makes. Any trade speculation around him is only around simply because of how good he is. Matthew Knies is an integral part of the future of this team, and no move would make sense unless you are getting the sun and moon back.
