Report: Maple Leafs signing Knies to 6-year, $46.5M extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs are signing Matthew Knies to a six-year extension carrying an average annual value of $7.75 million, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Knies was set to be a restricted free agent on July 1, and there was speculation that he would've been a target for offer sheets.

The 22-year-old winger is coming off a breakout campaign in which he racked up 29 goals, 29 assists, and 182 hits in 78 games. He also added five goals and a pair of helpers in 13 playoff appearances.

Knies, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds, was one of three NHL players last season with at least 29 goals and 180 hits, joining the likes of elite power forwards Brady Tkachuk and Tom Wilson.

The new deal makes Knies Toronto's third-highest-paid player after Auston Matthews ($13.25 million AAV) and William Nylander ($11.5 million AAV), and just ahead of Morgan Rielly ($7.5 million AAV). Nylander is the only player on the team under contract longer than Knies.

The Maple Leafs are left with $13.57 million in cap space after the Knies extension. They already brought back John Tavares on a four-year deal, and are reportedly discussing a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights involving pending unrestricted free-agent forward Mitch Marner.

Toronto's remaining free agents include UFAs Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz, plus RFAs Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson. The Leafs are reportedly expected to pursue Brad Marchand if he reaches the open market.

The Maple Leafs selected Knies in the second round of the 2021 draft. He tallied 15 goals and 20 assists in 80 games during his rookie campaign in 2023-24.