I don’t care what it takes, I want Matthew Knies locked in long-term with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
On Monday, reports surfaced that there’s been recent contract talks between the two sides on an extension. Knies is slated to become a restricted free agent next summer. If Toronto’s smart, they won’t let it get to that.
Naturally, as is the case with most young players, finding common ground on a lucrative extension will be somewhat tricky. I suppose they could elect to bridge him, but considering what we’ve seen early on his career, it would make a lot more sense to hit him with some term. This guy’s the real deal, there’s no doubt about it.
In the grand scheme of things, the Leafs will probably have to pay a pretty penny for what Knies projects to be as opposed to what he is currently. Yes, there’s an element of risk attached to that, but time after time early on in his career, the 21-year-old has demonstrated the innate ability to rise up to the occasion. After all, there’s a reason why many people – like my podcast co-host Jay Rosehill – feel like he could be earmarked for a leadership role with the franchise in the not-too-distant future. Simply put, this kid’s cut from a different cloth.
In a perfect world, an eight-year deal would make a lot of sense. For me, the average annual value on that type of transaction would be fascinating —to say the least. Ultimately, it would come down to who the Knies camp uses as an example of a potential contract comparable. Within reason, in this scenario, I think the juice is worth the squeeze. Indisputably, Knies brings so many necessary intangibles to the organization that I think the Leafs almost have to make it a priority to find a resolution as soon as possible here. If not, they run the risk of him popping off this season and his price tag rising exponentially.
The great thing about the player is that he’s low maintenance. He does the little things supremely well, and most importantly, he’s got that dog in him. In many respects, he reminds me of a young Zach Hyman.
Any way you slice it, this needs to get done. And soon.
