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Latest Report Regarding the Maple Leafs and Matthew Knies Potentially Problematic
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski | Imagn kmages
The Maple Leafs and pending restricted free agent Matthew Knies continue to work on an extension, but the latest report is causing angst among Leafs Nation.
As the Leafs' internal deadline of June 30th to get budding young star Matthew Knies signed to an extension before he is eligible to speak with rival teams about an offer sheet creeps closer, discussions between the two sides are on-going.
Despite Knies being adamant about wanting to remain in Toronto, and Leafs GM Brad Treliving wanting to get the deal done as soon as possible, it appears as though these negotiations will be going down to the wire.
The Maple Leafs and Matthew Knies Are Not Exactly on the Same Page Right Now, and it's Concerning
On Friday afternoon, The Fourth Period's Dave Pagnotta revealed that the two sides are far from being on the same page.
Pagnotta revealed that it is not just in terms of a contract, but also how close they are on an agreement.
"One side believes a deal is far off, while the other does not share that same viewpoint."
Pagnotta noted that the two sides are trying to find middle ground on term, with Knies preferring a 3-5 year deal and the Leafs aiming to go longer, but that the real sticking point is the yearly salary.
"The primary discrepancy appears to lie in the financial commitment, as the Leafs are believed to be looking in the $4 million to $5 million range, whereas Knies wants to be in the neighborhood of $7 million per season, depending on term."
At this point, Leafs Nation would be happy paying Knies upwards of $7M per season regardless of the length of the deal, and hopefully, over the next week, the two sides can reach an agreement.
Otherwise, Knies will be a prime candidate for an offer-sheet, and the Leafs cannot afford to lose the 23-year-old in the same summer that they're losing Mitch Marner and potentially even John Tavares.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 22 | 5175 ANSWERS Latest Report Regarding the Maple Leafs and Matthew Knies Potentially Problematic What deal would you prefer Matthews Knies to sign? | ||
| Short-term | 422 | 8.2 % |
| Long-term | 2736 | 52.9 % |
| Somewhere in the middle | 1409 | 27.2 % |
| It all depends on the dollar amount | 608 | 11.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
