Contract prices around the NHL keep climbing, and that trend only makes Matthew Knies look more important to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The latest example came when the Philadelphia Flyers handed Trevor Zegras a four-year deal worth $9.125 million per season. Earlier this offseason, the Flyers also put an $18 million offer sheet in front of Leo Carlsson, only for the Ducks to match it and keep their center at that record-setting price.
Knies is not in that range, but he is a 23-year-old winger with real skill and physical strength. If he were available on the open market, he would be making more than he is now.
Right now, Knies is locked in at $7.75 million per year through the 2030-31 season. If his play keeps trending the way it has, and if he continues to improve as he gets older, that contract could end up looking like a bargain for most of its life.
That kind of value can also work the other way in trade talks. A player on that deal could bring back a huge return because the contract itself becomes more attractive as the years go on.
Still, if the Maple Leafs are trying to get back into contention quickly, moving Knies would be a tough sell. The bigger question is simple: how likely are they to get back the kind of value they already have with him?
Gavin McKenna’s arrival does make the wing a little more crowded in Toronto. But teams do not usually complain about having too many good forwards, especially when those players are still getting better.
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Patrick Kane Twist Leaves Maple Leafs Facing Another Painful Pivot
Patrick Kanes free-agent picture appears to be coming into focus, and it is not breaking Torontos way. Chris Chelios said he spoke directly with Kane and believes the wingers market has narrowed, leaving the Maple Leafs on the outside as the veteran weighs his next stop. For a club still looking to add some finishing touch up front, the update is another reminder that the most recognizable names do not always line up with the cleanest fit.
What makes the pivot sting is that Torontos level of interest has never been entirely clear, even as Kane lingered as a plausible target. With that door now effectively closed, the Leafs may have to shift to thinner alternatives on the wing, with Eeli Tolvanen among the remaining options worth watching. It is the kind of late-summer turn that can force a team to choose between patience and a move that feels more like settling than solving. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Knies Is Starting To Look Like A Massive Leafs Win
The market for young NHL forwards keeps climbing, and the latest benchmark came when the Flyers locked up Trevor Zegras on a four-year deal worth $9.125 million a year. For Toronto, that kind of number only sharpens the view of Matthew Knies six-year, $46.5 million contract, which already looked sensible when it was signed and now sits even better against the going rate for players in that age bracket.
Knies has given the Leafs real value on the ice, too, with a breakout season that showed why the team was comfortable making a long-term bet. As salaries for ascending forwards keep pushing higher, Toronto has to like where it landed with a player who is still trending up and whose deal leaves the club with more flexibility than many of its peers enjoy. [Read more 🡒]