The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered another unfortunate loss in the Stanley Cup Playoffs earlier than expected, dropping a disappointing seven-game series against the Florida Panthers.
The Maple Leafs advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for just the second time in the last 21 years with an opening-round series victory over the Ottawa Senators before Florida ultimately knocked them out of the postseason.
And while the Maple Leafs could very well have seen the last of Mitch Marner in a Toronto uniform, one player that they want to make sure remains with them for years to come is Matthew Knies.
Maple Leafs Forward Matthew Knies Is a Pending Restricted Free Agent
Because he’s a pending restricted free agent, Knies could potentially receive an offer sheet from another team that recognizes his talent.
Journalist James Mirtle, who covers the Maple Leafs for The Athletic, believes that Toronto’s management group will be able to avoid “offer-sheet drama” this offseason.
“And the Leafs remain confident they will get Matthew Knies inked to a reasonable second contract without any offer-sheet drama,” Mirtle wrote.
Understanding the importance to his team, The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli believes that Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving won’t let things get that far and should be able to sign Knies before July 1, when Knies would be eligible to be given an offer sheet.
“Knies is a Human Nail Gun and perhaps Priority No. 1 for GM Brad Treliving to re-sign before July 1 so that this isn’t on the table,” Seravalli wrote. “Knies has said all the right things – that he wants to be a Maple Leaf – and that is an important part of the conversation here, because it’s not possible without his willingness to sign an offer sheet.
“Knies was seemingly just scratching the surface in his second year, nearly touching 30 goals (with only five on the power play), while throwing 182 hits.”
Seravalli also speculated that Knies could ultimately land a contract in the neighborhood of the five-year, $42 million deal that Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston recently received.
The Maple Leafs selected Knies with the 57th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, and he’s already become one of the most important young players on their roster.
Skating in his second full season in the NHL, Knies scored a new career-high 29 goals with 29 assists and showed all of the poise of a seasoned veteran rather than a 22-year-old. So it’ll be interesting to see where he goes from here.
