Outside of the 2025 NHL Draft and trying to get their ducks in a row before free agency starts next Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs have one big task on their to-do list: Re-sign restricted free agent winger Matthew Knies. And they might be getting closer to agreeing on a contract.
While pen has not been put to paper yet, we have a rough understanding of what a contract can look like, thanks to recent reports. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the new contract for Knies out of his entry-level deal, can look something like a couple other big-time restricted free agents who signed new contracts recently.
Friedman gave two comparables: JJ Peterka's fresh new contract with the Utah Mammoth that is a five-year deal with a $7.7-million AAV; and Wyatt Johnston's deal with the Dallas Stars that was also at five years, but with an $8.4-million AAV.
The main takeaway from these two comparisons is the fact that they are just five-year contracts. Which should -- if we are doing our math correctly -- mean that Knies would become an unrestricted free agent after the 2029-30 season, at the age of 27.
Reaching that freedom so early is not the best scenario, but it might just be something that the Leafs would need to come to terms with (again). The massive benefit, and why it isn't as disastrous as the first contracts with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner first contracts, is that his cap hit should be significantly lower and help the team hopefully build a very good team with that added cap space.
Knies had a breakout 2024–25 season with the Maple Leafs. In 78 regular season games, he tallied 29 goals and 29 assists for a total of 58 points, along with a plus-7 rating and six game-winning goals. He averaged over 18 minutes of ice time per game, and managed to stay above water when it came to his on-ice underlying numbers at 5-on-5, showing his effectiveness in puck possession. In the playoffs, Knies added three goals in four games, continuing to show his knack for scoring in high-pressure situations