The Toronto Maple Leafs have all sorts of contracts to figure out this offseason.
One of them belongs to Matthew Knies, and it doesn’t sound great right now.
Here’s what NHL insider David Pagnotta reported:
“It’s all about perspective. Contract talks between Toronto and the Knies camp are active, but plenty of work remains. One side tells me they are not close to a new deal, while the other side disagrees. Still feel this falls in the 3-5 year range, whenever it gets done.”
Hockey website The Fourth Period goes on to share that the salary is the issue. Knies wants $7 million per year, but the Maple Leafs want to keep it $4-5 million.
That’s a big discrepancy in the realm of NHL contracts, so these negotiations might have a ways to go.
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Knies has risen well from his selection as the 57th overall pick in 2021.
He’s coming off a career year. He had 29 goals and 29 assists in 2024-25, good for his best of 58 points total.
He had five power play goals and 10 power play assists as he broke through to get a lot of ice time with the Maple Leafs’ more well-known stars.
Knies doesn’t turn 23 until October, so he’s got a lot of potential left. And as an Arizona native like Auston Matthews, he fits well with the star Toronto center.
It’d be in everyone’s best interests for the 6-foot-3, 227-pound Knies to keep his sturdy, strong potential up in Toronto.
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