The Toronto Maple Leafs will face numerous contract decisions over the next 11 months.
Team captain John Tavares is in the last year of his contract, and Mitch Marner is too. While Marner seeks a wealthy long-term deal, theToronto Maple Leafs should be able to re-sign Tavares much cheaper than the $11 million he's making now. (Contract information from puckpedia.com)
The Leafs have another contract worth worrying about. Forward Matthew Knies is in the final year of his Entry Level Contract (ELC) and will become a restricted free agent (RFA) next summer.
The 21-year-old Knies is a 6'3 and 216 lbs. winger with great potential.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Matthew Knies Going Forward
Former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas drafted Knies in the second round of the 2021 NHL draft with the 57th overall pick. The Arizona native played in the Olympics and World Junior for the United States and in the NCAA Final for the University of Minnesota before signing with Toronto at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Knies had a decent rookie season (15 goals, 20 assists) in 80 games. After showing hints of his potential in the 2023 playoffs, Knies stepped up in the playoff series against Boston last season.
He registered two goals (including the overtime game-winner in Game 5) and provided some pushback (23 hits) against the more physical Bruins team. (All stats from hockey-reference.com)
Leafs GM Brad Treliving has been proactive in re-signing a few Leafs players. His most recent ones are Simon Benoit, Joseph Woll, Timothy Liljegren, and Bobby McMann. From a GM point of view, it would be better to re-sign Knies now. The longer Treliving waits, the greater the risk of the price going up.
I view Knies as a player who will thrive under new head coach Craig Berube. His role in the Leafs top six will increase this season and the potential for greater point totals. Re-signing Knies to a long-term deal now will be far cheaper than after he records a potential 50-point season. A good prediction for Knies' next contract would be a 5-6-year deal worth $3.5 million to $4 million annually.
The future for Knies is bright, and so long as he's a member of the Leafs, their future looks bright, too. Knies and the Leafs will be hoping for a longer playoff run this season. Hopefully, all of Treliving's moves will help.