Maple Leafs Rumors: Matthew Knies Contract Numbers Taking Shape

Contract talks have "progressed" this week between the Maple Leafs and the Matthew Knies camp

With John Tavares all locked in at a hometown discount $4.38 million AAV, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now laser-focused on getting a deal done for Matthew Knies before he hits restricted free agency on July 1 and is opened up to the potential of offer sheets.

According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, talks have "progressed" this week between the Leafs and the Knies camp, and the shape of the deal is starting to come into focus.

The Maple Leafs are focusing on a five-year deal with pending RFA Matthew Knies. We are likely to see his AAV in the $7 million range.

AFP Analytics projected Knies as coming in on a seven-year deal at a $7.2 million AAV.

The power forward had a breakthrough year in his second full NHL season, exploding for 29 goals (nearly double his rookie year number) and 29 assists for 58 points, while averaging 18:31 of ice time, five minutes more than his first season. He also handed out 182 hits.

There are plenty of teams around the league that would love to swoop in and try to sign Knies to an offer sheet, some likely with a 'bully offer' of much higher than $7M AAV. So the Leafs are desperate to get something done by July 1.

We had heard earlier this month that the lack of a deal as of yet with the Leafs was due to "a very large ask by the Knies camp." After coercing Tavares to take such a hometown discount, it would be disappointing for the team to then get fleeced on a Knies deal, and effectively negate any cap gains from the JT contract.