Matthew Knies is a name the St. Louis Blues explored, and although the reported price tag slowed talks, the situation could still be worth monitoring.
Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reported the Blues checked on Knies, but called the ask exorbitant.
NHL Rumour Report shared that update from July 21st, and it's the kind of line that ends speculation before it ever starts.
-
Knies is coming off a real breakout, posting 23 goals and 43 assists for 66 points across 79 games with Toronto last season.
He's locked in at a $7,750,000 cap hit, still just 23 years old and already a piece Toronto isn't looking to move.
That combination of age, price, and production is exactly why any asking price out of Toronto was going to sound steep to outside teams.
Blues' scoring drought explains why Knies was worth a call
St-Louis finished 37-33-12 for 86 points last season, 23rd overall, a middle of the pack club still hunting for more firepower up front.
GM Doug Armstrong has never been shy about aggressive swings, and checking in on a player like Knies fits that pattern even if it goes nowhere.
Head coach Jim Montgomery inherited a group that needs more scoring depth, and a winger with Knies' two way game would have solved a real problem.
Toronto has no reason to sell low on a player entering the prime years of his contract, especially one still trending upward in production.
Would any team actually meet Toronto's number for a player this age and this productive? Rutherford's report suggests the Blues weren't willing to find out.
Checking on a name and being told the price is exorbitant is usually where these conversations end, not where they turn into real trade talks.
Nothing here says Toronto is looking to move Knies at all. It just confirms other teams are watching, and the price is steep enough to keep them watching from a distance.
Should the Blues have pushed harder to actually land Matthew Knies?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
The Vancouver Canucks and Eastern team just got linked in a blockbuster trade everyone is debating
