The Toronto Maple Leafs will be trying to end their long championship drought this postseason as they try to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967. They have had a solid campaign, and it seems as though they have a deeper team than in recent seasons and could finally move away from the stereotype that has followed them around, which is that they can’t get out of the first round of the playoffs.
However, regardless of the result of their upcoming playoff run, they will soon have to shift their focus onto trying to re-sign forward Matthew Knies, who is a pending restricted free agent (RFA). Recently, two popular podcast hosts suggested Knies could be facing an offer sheet.
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Knies, who is 22 years old, is having an incredible season. Through 74 games this season, he has scored 29 goals and added 26 assists for 55 points, which comes out to a 0.74 points-per-game average. At the time of this article, he has scored 44 goals and added 47 assists for 91 points through 157 career games, which comes out to a 0.58 points-per-game average. His offensive skill, combined with his ability to play a sound defensive game, could make him an enticing free agent if he hits the open market. While members of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast believe an offer sheet could come down the pipe, a trusted insider disagrees.
Pierre Lebrun, a trusted insider from TSN, shut down any idea of Knies considering an offer sheet this offseason. Lebrun said, “He’s [Knies] not interested in even going the offer sheet route.” This statement almost completely shuts down any possibility that the Maple Leafs lose Knies in free agency, but it also begs the question of how much money is on the table for a potential extension, considering that there might be some interest from around the league.
Pressure from other teams could drive up Knies’ price, especially after the Edmonton Oilers lost Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to offer sheets last offseason, but it doesn’t sound like it will come close to that kind of situation.
What Does Knies’ Next Contract Look Like?
Spittin’ Chiclets hosts Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette discussed what Knies could get on his next contract, with Whitney suggesting he gets an eight-year extension worth $9 million annually. He is an elite offensive producer, and it seems like he’s only going to get better as time goes on, but I think that prediction is a bit steep. Realistically, Knies is probably looking at a long-term extension that keeps him in Toronto for a long time, but I think adding term to his new deal could drop his cap hit. I would predict Knies is looking at $7.5-7.75 million annually.
Knies fits in extremely well with the current Maple Leafs roster, and it would be a mistake to let him get to free agency. I would assume the Maple Leafs would be willing to match any offer sheet that comes their way for Knies, especially if they lose one of Mitchell Marner or John Tavares, but they shouldn’t let it get to that point. Hopefully, they can get a deal done sooner rather than later and can shift their focus again to bringing back the rest of the players they need to re-sign.
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