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Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos provided some interesting information this week on the potential contract demands of Leafs winger Matthew Knies.

Matthew Knies has had a solid start to the 2024-25 campaign, amassing 3 goals and 1 assist in 8 games, despite the Toronto Maple Leafs’ mediocre record of 4-4-0 following an embarrassing 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

Knies’ play this season has been largely very impressive, and the Arizona native is attempting to show that he is not about to accept any sort of a sophomore slump for himself this season. With the way he’s played, Knies could just as easily been a point per game player thus far, if it weren’t for some poor puck luck.

A lot has been made of Knies’ status as a pending RFA, and there has been a lot of discussion in recent weeks over what a potential contract might look like for the young power forward. One notable comparable, highlighted by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, might come as a surprise.
”Kypreos thinks that if the Leafs wanted to skip a bridge deal and go straight to a long-term contract, Matthew Knies would want the Slafkovsk� extension (7.6Mx8).”

While Knies has been in discussions with the Maple Leafs over the past few months, with speculation about a potential deal, Kypreos’ comments suggest that perhaps these negotiations won’t be as simple as originally thought.

Juraj Slafkovsky is coming off an impressive sophomore season with the Montreal Canadiens, having tallied 50 points in 82 games. Despite a slow start, he finished strong, scoring at nearly a point-per-game pace down the home stretch.

Although $7.6 million may seem like an overpayment for Slafkovsky, it reflects his future potential, and as a former 1st overall pick, he is likely to surpass that value. This contract projection for Knies seems lofty in comparison. Currently playing on the top line, Knies may very well hit 50 or more points this season. Still — is he worth more than $7M per season? That’s still up for debate.