NHL insider reveals potential contract details for Matthew Knies extension with Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL reporter Spencer Lazary believes he knows what the Toronto Maple Leafs are prepared to offer Matthew Knies for his next contract.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Matthew Knies in the second round of the 2021 draft, 57th overall, not many were expecting him to turn into much more than a depth player for the team.
However, the 22-year-old has quickly proven everyone wrong.
Last season, Knies put together a solid rookie campaign scoring 15 goals and 35 points in 80 games for the Leafs.
This year he has already surpassed both marks with 21 goals and 36 points in 51 games for Toronto.
He even recorded his first career hat-trick earlier this season, in a five-point game against the Boston Bruins.
This does beg the question though of what his next contract will look like as he has slotted into a top-six role with the club.
Knies is currently on the last year of his entry-level contract and will become a restricted free-agent this summer.
At his current scoring pace, most would expect the 22-year-old to get a pretty hefty raise on his current 925k dollar cap hit.
Spencer Lazary of the Hockey Writers is expecting Knies to sign a bridge deal with the Leafs around 4 years in length worth 16 million dollars for a 4 million dollar cap hit per season.
"(A) $16 million (contract) over four years is a good deal for both sides. Knies' new AAV would increase to $4 million, which would be affordable for the Maple Leafs while also giving them the chance to allocate salary to other areas. It also ensures that they don't sign a long-term contract that doesn't age well."
A four-year deal would secure Knies until he is 26 and would leave him as a unrestricted free agent by the end of it.
Depending on how those four years play out he could be in line for another big raise by the end of it, and he will likely be looking for more term as well.
Obviously though, the Leafs will cross that bridge when they get to it.
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