Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Matthew Knies

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed prospect forward Matthew Knies to an entry-level contract, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. Per his report, Toronto will register his contract today. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Knies’ contract will carry a $925k average annual value. CapFriendly later confirmed Friedman’s report, adding that the contract will pay Knies $832,500 in base salary, $92,500 in signing bonuses, and $80,000 in minors salary each season of the three-year deal. He will be a restricted free agent in 2025.

The Maple Leafs have kept an open contract slot within their 50-man limit for Knies to join the team at the conclusion of his season with Minnesota, and after the Gophers’ heartbreaking overtime loss in the National Championship game, the opportunity to put pen to paper finally arose.

Knies, 20, is a six-foot-three power forward who was selected 57th overall at the 2021 NHL draft. He’s scored at or above a point-per-game rate in both of his seasons at Minnesota, and this year he was one-third of one of hockey’s most promising lines alongside 2022 first-rounders Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud.

A Hobey Baker Award finalist, Knies’ signing with Toronto gives him the opportunity to make his NHL debut and potentially figure into head coach Sheldon Keefe’s lineup equation for the team’s high-stakes first-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

While it’s unknown whether the Maple Leafs would be comfortable inserting a rookie with only a few NHL games under his belt into their lineup for such an important series, Knies is the sort of talented, versatile player who could quickly make their decision very easy.

Before that point comes, though, Knies will have to get his feet wet in the NHL. He reportedly flew to Minnesota with the rest of the Minnesota roster after last night’s game, but according to ESPN’s John Buccigross will be flying to Florida to join the Maple Leafs, who play Florida tomorrow and Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs already boast an embarrassment of riches in their forward corps, with a group of attackers that collectively can stand among the league’s deepest and most talented. This addition of Knies only adds to that impressive group, and if Knies lives up to the considerable hype could be a factor that finally brings Toronto to their long-awaited playoff series victory.