For the Toronto Maple Leafs, most of the focus this past offseason was on maligned superstar Mitch Marner. With his contract in its final year and Marner eligible to sign a massive extension, it was extremely difficult to decipher exactly how this situation would unfold.
Since training camp opened, focus has thankfully shifted to preparation for the upcoming season, and the progression of younger players in the organization. Matthew Knies, one of the up and coming stars of the Leafs, has really impressed in the preseason, and has consistently lined up next to Marner and new captain Auston Matthews in line rushes.
Not only has his rapid development into a bona fide top-six NHL option turned heads, but also taken some of the spotlight away from the unresolved Marner contract stalemate.
Knies has impressed so much that speculation has started that the Leafs are looking to sign him to a long-term contract extension.
Wearing a letter in the preseason
What prompted this story to be broken by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is the Leafs’ decision to stich an “A” on Knies’ jersey in their last preseason game against a bitter rival, the Montreal Canadiens. The game didn’t feature too many surefire NHLers with Nick Robertson and Connor Timmins being the closest players to that status, but wearing a letter for an NHL franchise is a big deal regardless of the situation.
Here’s what Friedman had to say:
I’m wondering if they’re going to sign him. Knies is on the precipice of being a really long-term, important piece of the Maple Leafs. There have been some rumors of them having conversations about it. With cornerstone young players, the price never goes down. Seeing him with the ‘A’ on Saturday, they clearly think very, very highly of him.
While this has been presented as a rumour, it is widely known that Friedman doesn’t report on things he doesn’t feel confident about. That doesn’t mean he’s always right about everything, but if he’s commenting on a potential long-term extension for Knies, there has to be something there.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, especially when it comes to Friedman.
Knies’ player profile
For those who aren’t too familiar with the up and coming Leafs star, Knies is a 21-year-old Arizona-born player, standing at 6’3″ and 227lbs. He was drafted 57th overall in the second round of the 2021 draft by the Leafs, and put up two seasons at or above a point per game in the NCAA after his draft year.
He came over to the NHL at the end of the 2022-23 season playing three games, and finished his first full season with the Leafs in 2023-24 putting up 15 goals and 35 points.
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