Matthew Knies’ contract extension should be top priority for GM Brad Treliving

All that matters to Matthew Knies is remaining with the Toronto Maple Leafs, so now it’s up to GM Brad Treliving to lock him up to a contract extension.

Knies is a pending restricted free agent, and the 22-year-old power forward is in for a hefty pay day. Knies had a breakout season in 2024-25, the first under Craig Berube, and it became evident early on this season that Berube trusted Knies’ game, and was going to give him every opportunity to succeed. He played most of the year with Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, a spot that Knies appreciated, and didn’t take for granted.

“It was a blast, I was pretty fortunate to play with the two best players in the NHL. It made my life a lot easier, getting to learn from those guys was a huge help,” stated Knies at the end-of-season media availability.

With Knies leading the Maple Leafs in shooting percentage, being third on the team with 181 hits, some would argue Marner and Matthews should have been the ones educating themselves. Knies’ complete arsenal was on display this season in Toronto, including his leadership intangibles, as he finished off his season with solid reflection, and a mindset to find ways to improve this summer.

“Yeah, if you get picky, there’s tons of ways we can get better as a group,” Knies continued. “I think we need to be a little bit better with our mindset, more consistent, there needs to be more reckless play. I think we need to have that ability to play such a long season, and prepare for a long season, and I think that we definitely will, and we’re going to come back strong next season.”

Knies went from playing 13:40 under Sheldon Keefe to skyrocketing up to 18:30 per game under Berube. His 29 goals were impressive, however he’s barely scratching the surface, and the future looks as bright as anyone in the league for the former second-round pick.

Knies does it all for the Maple Leafs. Power play, power game, penalty kill, uses his body, great with his stick, and he’s continuing to get better, and is quickly mastering his craft on both sides of the puck. In my mind, Knies has captain material written all over him, and with the potential of Marner leaving this summer, Knies will likely be given a chance to jump into more of a leadership role next season, and beyond. Did I mention he doesn’t turn 23 until October?

GM Brad Treliving has a lot on his plate this summer, but getting Knies locked into a long-term extension should be at the top of his list. The Maple Leafs are currently projected to have $24.93 million in cap space to work with this offseason, so you can expect Knies to take a decent chunk of it as the average annual value on his next deal will be a significant pay raise from the $925,000 he made on the final year of his entry-level contract.

Knies’ agent will have some comparable to present to Treliving, which include:

Dawson Mercer, New Jersey Devils: Mercer was 22 when he signed a three-year, $4 million AAV extension, after putting up back-to-back 20-goal seasons. If the Leafs and Knies’ camp come to terms on a bridge contract, it could resemble Mercer’s with the Devils.

Quinton Byfield, Los Angeles Kings: Byfield was 22 when extended with the Kings on a five-year term for $6.25 million AAV. Byfield was coming off a 20 goal, and 55-point season. Knies played two less games, and put up 58 points in his 22-year-old season. So if the Maple Leafs want to buy into some of Knies’ unrestricted free-agent years, his AAV could creep closer to $7 million.

Juraj Slafkovsky, Montreal Canadiens: The former #1 overall pick got locked in on a max eight-year deal, at $7.6 million AAV, after posting 20 goals in 82 games as a 20-year-old. If Treliving wants to max out the term, sliding in slightly under Slafkovsky could be a nice sweet spot for the Maple Leafs’ GM.

Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars: The future captain of the Stars inked a max eight-year extension last summer, as a 22-year-old, and earns $8.4 million AAV. Johnston’s ceiling is higher than Knies, at least for now, and he was coming off a 32 goal, 65-point sophomore season, so don’t expect to see anything in the 8’s on Knies’ cap hit.

If the Maple Leafs can get Knies signed to an eight-year contract extension, somewhere in the $7-million range, it should be considered a home run. The Leafs have themselves one of the best power forwards in the game, who has legitimate chemistry with Auston Matthews, and these two together can continue to drive the top line in Toronto for many years to come. Knies wants to remain a Maple Leaf, and now it’s up to Treliving to make his future in Toronto the biggest priority of the 2025 offseason.

“I want to be here. I want to play here. That’s all that matters to me.” Knies said.

Your move, Treliving.