Top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman Reveals Some Important Information on Leafs' Matthew Knies
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of work to do this summer, and according to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, they have put a timeline on the Matthew Knies contract extension.
The Maple Leafs may still be reeling from what happened in Round 2 against the Florida Panthers, having blown a 2-0 series lead to lose in 7 games to the defending Stanley Cup champions, but they know there's a laundry list of things to accomplish this off-season, so they plan to waste no time.
While recent conversations with former captain John Tavares have reportedly led to both sides being hopeful for a continued relationship and a contract extension, the same cannot be said regarding Mitch Marner, who appears poised to test free agency.
Still, with both of these players being important, it's arguable that the most-pressing need for the Maple Leafs is to get sophomore star Matthew Knies locked up to a new deal before the threat of an offer sheet becomes a reality.
To that end, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman revealed during his most recent edition of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast that the Leafs have a firm timeline for when the want to have Knies signed, sealed and delivered.
"When Matthew Knies says, first and foremost, he wants to be a Maple Leaf, I think he's telling the truth and I think the Maple Leafs believe that. So, their goal here will be to get this done before an offer sheet even becomes a reality.
I think both sides want to get it done. But, again, it's grind time. It doesn't mean nobody's going to grind here. Both sides are going to grind, but, again, I start off with the opinion that there is a will on both sides to extend Knies long-term."
I think both sides want to get it done. But, again, it's grind time. It doesn't mean nobody's going to grind here. Both sides are going to grind, but, again, I start off with the opinion that there is a will on both sides to extend Knies long-term."
As it stands, the Maple Leafs appear to want to have Knies locked up before teams can begin to speak with him about potential offer sheets on June 30th. That leaves the team with exactly 5 weeks to find a deal that works for both sides.
There have been some pretty lofty comparisons for Knies, with a recent one being the deal that star forward Matthew Boldy signed with the Minnesota Wild in January of 2023. There has also been some talk that Knies may be seeking a deal in excess of $8M per season with the rising cap.
| POLL | ||
MAI 26 | 4788 ANSWERS Top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman Reveals Some Important Information on Leafs' Matthew Knies Do you think Matthew Knies ends up signing long-term or short-term with the Leafs? | ||
| Long-term, 6+ seasons | 2230 | 46.6 % |
| Short-term, 3 seasons or less | 969 | 20.2 % |
| Right down the middle at 4 or 5 years | 1589 | 33.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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