The Toronto Maple Leafs have had yet another average start to their season.
Through 11 games, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a 6-4-1 record, and it is appearent that their team is good because they have an incredible core of superstars, but that almost all the problems that have plauged them over the last several years - starting on time, playing down to opponents, depth scoring, special teams - are still problems.
The Leafs recently traded Timothy Liljegren, and are capped out but desperate for upgrades at centre-ice and on the blue-line. On the bright side, their goaltending looks amazing and they have a winning record despite the fact that Auston Matthews hasn't produced much yet.
With a record of around .500 through their first eleven games, the team has some questions to answer as they head into the season's second month.
1. Why Has Matthew Knies Not Signed an Extension?
There have been rumours that Matthew Knies' camp and the Maple Leafs have had preliminary discussions about a contract extension. Knies will be an RFA at the end of this season and is off to a hot start, playing on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
He has embraced the worker part of this line and has four goals in his last five games, with a total stat line of five goals, one assist in 10 games this season.
Knies has also been placed on the Maple Leafs top powerplay unit since they have gone too two balanced units rather, than one loaded up. They have placed Matthews, Marner, Knies, Paccioretty, Rielly on PP1 with Tavares, Nylander, McMann, Domi, Ekman-Larsson on the other.
Knies' ice time has jumped nearly four minutes (17:13) compared to last season (13:41). He has looked like the perfect fit on the top line thus far and will only get better with time. With 25-goal potential this season, Knies' price will only go up; Treliving and the Maple Leafs organization should lock him up sooner rather than later.