Leafs want to get Matthews Knies extension done ‘as soon as possible’

At his year-end press conference, Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving covered a number of topics, including the team’s semi-final loss to the Florida Panthers, Mitch Marner’s pending unrestricted free agency, captain Auston Matthews’ injury situation, and Matthews Knies pending restricted free agency.

When it came to the 22-year-old Knies, Treliving spoke as bluntly as he could.

“We’d like to get it done as soon as possible,” he said. “Usually term and money are the only two issues that come into play on contract negotiations. I thought Matthew had a tremendous year. We’re sort of seeing him evolve in front of our eyes. It’s a big step for a young player to become a really important player, right? Like, you can be a good player and have a role. He became a really important player.”

The Leafs’ general manager also touched up on Knies’ injury during the Panthers series.

“Matthew had an injury in Game 6 in Florida. He muscled through it. That wasn’t 100 percent. Matthew Knies in Game 7, right?” Treliving said. “He was muscling through it. But I thought he was really good. For a guy who hasn’t been through that – this is his second full year – I thought he was really good. He was an impactful player… Matthew is a big part of the future moving forward.”

In 2024-25, Knies finished with 29 goals and 29 assists for 58 points and 43 penalty minutes in 78 regular-season games. In 13 playoff games, he scored five goals and two assists for seven points.

In parts of three NHL seasons, Knies has 44 goals and 50 assists for 94 points in 161 career games. In 27 Stanley Cup Playoff games, scoring eight goals and six assists for 14 points.

Taken in the second round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Knies spent two seasons with the University of Minnesota in the NCAA’s Big Ten. In 73 games, the Phoenix, Ariz., native scored 36 goals and 39 assists for 75 points and 60 penalty minutes.