NHL Rumors: Conflicting update emerges on Matthew Knies' contract talks with Maple Leafs, per insider

Conflicting reports have surfaced in the ongoing negotiations between the Toronto Maple Leafs and RFA Matthew Knies.

According to the Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, the two sides are actively working toward a deal. However, there appears to be a considerable gap between the two sides.

Pagnotta indicated that his sources say a deal is imminent while others indicate there is much work to be done.

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The contradictory information seems to point toward a potential middle-ground solution in which the Maple Leafs keep Knies in the fold for the foreseeable future.

Knies ended his entry-level contract this season after notching a career-high 29 goals and 58 points in 78 games. The 22-year-old nearly doubled his goal total from last season, achieving the breakout year the Maple Leafs expected.

In two full seasons with Toronto, Knies has scored 44 goals and 50 assists for 94 in 161 games. He’s appeared in 27 postseason games, scoring eight goals and adding six assists for 14 points. This postseason, Knies scored five goals in 13 games, surpassing his previous totals.

Knies is one of three RFA forwards on the Maple Leafs’ roster. Knies joins Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg as the other RFAs needing a new deal for next season.

Knies and Maple Leafs reportedly apart in dollar terms

Matthew Knies had a breakout season in 2024-25, nearly topping 30 goals and 60 points - Source: Imagn

Pagnotta added in a June 20 article published in the Fourth Period that the two sides are seemningly far apart in dollar terms.

Per Pagnotta, the Maple Leafs are looking to get a deal done in the $4 to $5 million AAV range. The Knies camp wants to come in around $7 million AAV.

The AAV would largely depend on the term, as the Knies could be compelled to sign for a lower AAV if the deal comes with a longer term. Though it seems unlikely a max-term deal is in the cards.

A shorter-term deal is the likely outcome as it would allow Knies to hit UFA status around 26 or 27 years old.

A max-term, eight-year deal would delay Knies’ shot at a free-agent payday, potentially landing him in UFA status past the age of 30.

The Leafs have over $25 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia. So, the team has the money to keep Knies in the fold for the foreseeable future. It would just be a matter of hammering out the specific terms.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan