John Chayka's Matthew Knies decision is turning heads across the NHL

Matthew Knies is back in trade rumors, and the Toronto Maple Leafs sound like a team that's already made up its mind.

Nick Kypreos dropped that read on the Real Kyper and Bourne podcast, and NHL Rumour Report passed it along Wednesday afternoon.

Kypreos said the Maple Leafs would rather move Knies than even Easton Cowan, and he doesn't see the trade talk fading anytime soon.

He also said the sense around the game is that Knies' upside isn't as high as the perception surrounding him.

Knies is 23 years old and carries a cap hit of $7,750,000. He put up 66 points in 79 games this season but finished at -30.

His production faded hard down the stretch. Knies managed just seven points over his final 10 games and only two in his last five.

So why would a 23-year-old power forward with size and touch suddenly become the guy teams are shopping?

Cowan's rookie deal makes him almost untouchable

Cowan is 21 and still on his entry-level contract, carrying a cap hit of just $904,667. He posted 29 points in 66 games this year.

And he's been trending the right way lately. Cowan put up seven points in his last 10 games and three in his final five, matching that pace at a fraction of the cost.

Trading a $7.75 million winger with size, speed and scoring touch because the fit never quite clicked would be a real gamble for a team still searching for answers.

This is a Maple Leafs club that finished 32-36-14, settled for 78 points and ranked 28th overall, closing the year on a seven-game losing streak.

New head coach Jim Hiller was hired June 17, and how he wants his forward group built could end up deciding whether Knies stays or goes.

Moving size and scoring touch to save cap space is a bit like trading a truck for a scooter because gas got expensive. It might work on paper, but you lose carrying capacity when it matters.

Kypreos didn't put a timeline on any of this, and Toronto hasn't confirmed a thing publicly. But if the front office really believes Knies' ceiling is lower than advertised, the trade market is going to find out fast.