Following the Stanley Cup Playoffs elimination in the second round, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now staring into a long tunnel, unsure and wary if there’s any light at the end of it. Auston Matthews and company are bracing for several moves which will shake the lineup upside and down after yet another disappointing NHL season. On that note, rising star Matthew Knies, who’s set to become a restricted free agent (RFA) on July 1sr. As he prepares to hit the market, he delivered a clear message to the organization and the rest of the league.
Knies, though only 22 years old, was one of the best players in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Maple Leafs, registering 7 points (5 goals, 2 assists) during Toronto’s 13-game run in the postseason.
The former 57th overall selection in the 2021 NHL entry Draft is blossoming into a star for the Maple Leafs, in times of much change where fans in Toronto no longer know who they can truly trust when the lights shine the brightest. On that note, Knies has given them reasons to believe in him, and they’d gladly have him on the roster going forward.
Apparently, Knies would gladly stay in Toronto alongside Matthews, as well. During his end-of-season press conference, Knies dropped a powerful admission about his expectations for the upcoming free agency, where he will be a restricted free agent.
“I want to be here [in Toronto],” Knies firmly told reporters. “I want to play here. That’s all that really matters to me.”
What is a restricted free agent?
Knies is one of many players in the NHL whose contract will expire on July 1st, when the new year starts in the league, and one that’ll be sought after by several teams. However, he is not an UFA, which would mean any team could sign him if he agrees to the terms and conditions in its offers.
Essentially, being a RFA means the Maple Leafs have the right to match any offer made to Knies by other teams in the NHL. Though it seems unlikely based on his comments, if Knies was to sign an offer sheet from a different team, Toronto has the right to replicate and equal that offer. If the Leafs do not match the offer, and Knies signs with a different team, his new team would have to compensate Toronto with draft picks.
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However, it’s all shaping up for Knies and Toronto to work out a new deal to keep the 22-year-old with Matthews and company for the 2025-26 NHL season, and beyond.