Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies named top option for 2025 RFA offer sheets

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River Hawk
August 26, 2024 (4:46 PM)

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After the whirlwind around the Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg deal, one NHL analyst named Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies a top option for offer sheets in 2025.

The St. Louis Blues made a big swing late in the offseason, doing what few NHL teams do: send out offer sheets. After providing them to Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman decided against matching the offer sheets. Both took two-year deals with St. Louis, Dylan Holloway for $4.58 million and Philip Broberg for $9.16 million.

This deal set off a whirlwind among the NHL fanbase, especially given the general lack of activity for weeks beforehand. Aside from the discussions of the contracts themselves, several have suggested potential subjects of offer sheet deals upon hitting restricted free agency next year. NHL analyst of the Bleacher Report, Adam Gretz has named Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies as a top option.

"Matthew Knies might be close to the 'we will do whatever it takes to match' territory because his first year in the NHL was extremely promising (15 goals, 20 assists, 35 points), he remains one of Toronto's best young players, and he still has untapped potential."

Matthew Knies had a stellar opening year in the NHL, with 20 goals and 35 points in 80 games. Given his average ice time of 13:39, he recorded 0.8 goals every hour of play and nearly two points. However, as Gretz admitted, Toronto will likely have trouble with cap space when he becomes an RFA, already on the hook for massive contracts with Core 4 forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander. When you factor in how much Dylan Holloway got from the St. Louis Blues, this could make Matthew Knies a key target for offer sheets.

"With Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly already on big contracts, that cap space could disappear quickly and could make Toronto somewhat vulnerable to an offer sheet."

With an already high-cost roster in front of them, The Toronto Maple Leafs management may not have the ability nor guts it takes to make room for Matthew Knies should he receive offer sheets next year. Hopefully, regardless of what happens, they do not miss their shot to fill in his role in the lineup after 2025.

Source: Bleacher Report
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