NHL Insider Shares Important Update Regarding Extensions for Matthew Knies and John Tavares

While a lot of attention has been distributed to upcoming free agents like Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand, there's a lot of work that still needs to be done at home regarding Matthew Knies and John Tavares.

It's more or less a foregone conclusion that Knies and the Leafs get an extension done, especially considering that he's entering the summer as an RFA and is not unrestricted. But, with the Tavares extension, the team has hit a bit of a snag in recent weeks.

With just a few days until the NHL draft kicks off, free agent news is starting to pick up, and TSN's Darren Dreger dropped a juicy nugget for Leafs Nation in regards to the duo's possible contract extensions.

On Insider Trading, the long-time NHL insider mentioned that progress has been on made on their respective contracts, which is certainly a bit of good news considering the latest reports had them both in somewhat of a stalemate.

The Maple Leafs had been reportedly looking to get a deal done for Knies before the July 1st frenzy begins, primarily to avoid any chances of an offer sheet being thrown their way.

For the young power forward, there seemed to be a bit of an issue regarding both term and salary, and whether or not a bridge deal would be more appropriate.

As for the veteran Tavares, it sounded like he was hoping to cash in on a higher AAV than most believed he would be seeking previously. After a 38-goal campaign, the 34-year-old showed he still had a lot left in the tank, and might be reconsidering the structure to his next deal with the Leafs.

However, as things stand right now with Dreger's update, the Maple Leafs seem to be making progress, which can be nothing short of a benefit at this time of the year.

The Leafs would love nothing more than to have both deals done before July 1st so they can focus all their energy towards the open market and upgrading their roster.