As the hockey world watches the Jeremy Swayman situation unravel at an exponential pace, and the Toronto Maple Leafs already being in familiar territory having signed several RFA's in recent seasons including the contract in which they offered Nick Robertson, it has come to a head that the next player in line to ink a deal is twenty-one-year-old left winger Matthew Knies, who at one point was rumoured to be trade capital.
During FirstUp on TSN 1050 in Toronto on Tuesday morning Carol Colaiacovo & Aaron Korolnek threw around the idea of a potential extension and whether or not they should wait and see. The duo mentioned Utah HC's Dylan Guenther after speaking briefly about how they theoretically are worried about whether it could turn into a situation which we are currently in the front row watching from afar with the Boston Bruins and Jeremy Swayman. But what could an extension look like? He's probably worth closer to $7-million than he is to $8-million, but that's just speculating and rhetoric.
What's true about Matthew Knies is the following: Knies has played one game more of a typical regular season over the previous two seasons and has performed as expected. Unfortunately, the sample size is incredibly small, but this is how the National Hockey League operates now. When offering any sort of extension, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brad Treliving need to take into consideration what Knies has already done in his brief time in the League. Having 35 points doesn't necessarily parlay itself into an 8-year contract however you're paying for as much as projection as you are with the theory of what have you done for me lately.
Matthew Knies has shown he can play competitively in the National Hockey League, but nobody knows whether he's got what it takes to be a productive and consistent second-line player or if he's better suited playing third-line minutes.
Whatever the case may be you have to weigh your options. Knies has indicated by all accounts he truly wants to be in Toronto long-term, so what harm is it to play it out and see if a deal can be made throughout the season or at the very least late into the season or early into next offseason
POLL | ||
1 OCTOBRE | 24 ANSWERS Insiders discuss theoretical Toronto Maple Leafs Matthew Knies extension Should the Toronto Maple Leafs try to re-sign pending RFA Matthew Knies now, or wait? | ||
Sign him now. It's urgent | 16 | 66.7 % |
Wait it out. There's no rush | 8 | 33.3 % |
List of polls |