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Losing Matthew Knies this summer: the Maple Leafs must be careful
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Losing Matthew Knies this summer: the Maple Leafs must be careful
Credit: Getty Images
Right now, the Maple Leafs are doing well in the playoffs. Wow!

For the first time since 1963, the Maple Leafs have taken a second 2-0 series lead in the same playoff run. That’s quite a feat.

Is the club overcoming its demons? We’ll see.

In eight playoff games, Matthew Knies has four goals. Aside from William Nylander, no one in Toronto has had as many or more than him since Game #1 against the Ottawa Senators.

He’s clearly part of the solution. And in Toronto, he’s loved.

Just yesterday, he saw his coach trust him by playing for 22:48. Only Auston Matthews, not exactly a celery stalk, played more for the Maple Leafs.

So yes, he’s important.

Matthew Knies, who has five playoff points at the moment, is at the end of his contract. He’ll be a restricted free agent when his entry-level contract expires on July 1.

What will the Maple Leafs do then?

As Nicolas Cloutier mentioned in a piece on players to watch out for in the event of a hostile offer sheet, the Maple Leafs could be caught flat-footed if Mitch Marner and John Tavares were to stay in town.

And from there, a club could take the opportunity to put the Maple Leafs in trouble with an offer of around $8 million a year for Knies, an American who scored 29 goals and 58 points this season in the Queen City.

Hostile offer sheets are the talk of the NHL. Jeff Gorton believes there could be several, but Julien BriseBois(who spoke to Mario Langlois on 98.5 Sports) isn’t so sure.

We’ll see… but for it to happen, it’s going to take a specific situation. And the Maple Leafs could find themselves in that situation if they’re not careful soon.


overtime

– Enjoy.

– Please note.

– One to watch.

– Panthers unfazed by unfazed.

– Things are bad in Toronto.

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