The Chicago Blackhawks traded multiple players leading up to the deadline, as Nick Foligno, Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, and Colton Dach were all moved. The Blackhawks being sellers was not surprising, as they are still rebuilding and are on the wrong side of the playoff line.
While this is the case, they also reportedly were interested in making a major addition to their roster ahead of the deadline.
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In his most recent 32 Thoughts column, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Blackhawks were among the teams that had “serious interest” in Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Matthew Knies.
“Teams that showed serious interest in Matthew Knies included Anaheim, Chicago, Montreal, New Jersey and Utah,” Friedman wrote.
Hearing that the Blackhawks had Knies on their radar is not necessarily surprising. At just 23 years old, he would have been an excellent addition for a team on the rise like the Blackhawks. This is especially so when noting that the Blackhawks could use more skilled wingers to help Connor Bedard.
Furthermore, at this point in his young career, Knies is already a proven top-six power forward. His stats this season effectively show this, as he has 18 goals, 39 assists, 57 points, and 132 hits in 66 games. This is after the 6-foot-3 forward had 29 goals and 58 points in 78 games last season for Toronto.
Knies would have also been a long-term addition for the Blackhawks if acquired, as he has a $7.75 million cap hit until the end of the 2030-31 season.
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