Leafs get trade offers from Knies, Cowan, Minten ahead of deadline!

Trade chatter has heated with just 48 hours to go prior to Friday’s deadline, so much so, that insider Elliotte Friedman reported Tuesday on “The JD Bunkis Podcast” that calls from untouchable players have been made to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, general manager Brad Treliving is, as of now, not believe to be swayed to move either Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan, or Fraser Minten before Friday’s deadline.

“The one thing I do know is that people have asked them about Knies, Cowan, and Minten, and they have said no to this point,” Friedman said.

Friedman even explained that Knies, Cowan and Minten are the three players the Maple Leafs are asked about most, giving the warning that “what is true yesterday might not be true tomorrow … but to this point, Toronto’s made it very clear that those three players are players that they are not interested in dealing.”

This will put Maple Leafs’ fans on edge until the trade buzzer rings and they can see that Treliving has held on to the star prospects.

Ahead of tonight’s game against the Buffalo Sabres in Toronto, Knies has put up 11 goals and 15 assists in 59 games with the Leafs this season. The young winger has played on the team’s top line alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and been looking quite good next to them. Knies was selected 57th overall in 2021, and he joined Toronto on an entry-level deal last April.

As for Cowan, he has recorded 30 goals and 53 assists across 47 contests in his third season with the OHL’s London Knights. He is the Maple Leafs, first round, 28th overall pick in last year’s draft.

When it comes to Minten, he has taken part in four games with the Leafs this season, but most of the action he’s gotten has been with the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL. He has collected 16 goals and 15 apples in 28 contests.He posted three goals and seven assists in seven games with the Kamloops Blazers in the fall before they traded him to the Blades.

Last week, Treliving mentioned how the Maple Leafs would be open to dealing their first-round pick in this year’s draft to offer in a potential trade, but since they have no second-rounders for the next three years and no first-round selection in 2025, the GM needs to be careful with his picks and talented pool of prospects.

According to Cap Friendly, the Leafs only have a projected $144,166 deadline cap space, and yet are still looking to bolster the back end before Friday. Another question gets added to the tension: will Knies, Cowan, and Minten remain untouchable until then?

Recommended articles:

• Huge wrench in Leafs’ Brad Treliving’s trade deadline plans!
• Sheldon Keefe forced to have difficult conversation with Pontus Holmberg
• Fans hit back at Leafs captain John Tavares
• Maple Leafs to bring back an old friend?
• Report: Leafs officially out on top trade target