The Toronto Maple Leafs are experts on getting their fans’ hopes up. Unfortunately, they are equally good at then falling short on expectations once the NHL season rolls around. With Mitch Marner pretty much gone from the team, they needed some good news to keep their fans and Auston Matthews happy. It seems they actually did it.
Sportsnet insider, Elliotte Friedman, reported that the Maple Leafs are giving forward Matthew Knies a six-year, $7.75 million AAV contract extension. Knies is only 22 years old so being able to keep him on the roster is a massive move for the Maple Leafs.
However, there is some criticism as for the way the contract was structured given that no cap space was created. Toronto currently ranks 10th in cap space in the NHL.
Matthew Knies is a potential star
The leftie is coming off a career year for the Maple Leafs. Knies played 78 games, scoring 58 points equally distributed as he made 29 goals and the same number of assists. He also scored six game-winning goals.
Toronto ended on the first place of the Atlantic division. They finished the regular season with 108 points. Hence, they shouldn’t feel as they’re far off a Stanley Cup run. It’s also worth noting their debt is on the playoffs, but keeping Knies helps them to keep the hopes alive.
The Maple Leafs are making other moves
While watching Marner go is not the news Toronto wanted, the team is being proactive. That’s why they want to bring back a known face to the team. The Maple Leafs are trying to lure Nazem Kadri back into The Six.
It’s do-or-die once again for a team that hasn’t won in 50 years. Whether Kadri comes back or not remains to be seen, but you can expect the Maple Leafs to try and get the pieces they need to end what has been an eternal drought for them.