The Toronto Maple Leafs failed to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals this season. They lost Game 7 against the Florida Panthers, officially kicking off a crucial offseason ahead. President of Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan has already been shown the door. Restricted free agent Matthew Knies is another potential departure the team could experience.
Knies has emerged as an important part of Toronto’s core. He had a career season with the Leafs in 2024-25. And he scored some clutch goals during the postseason. If he is a restricted free agent on July 1, there will be no shortage of teams after his services.
Bleacher Report writer Joe Yerdon compiled a list of the best landing spots for restricted free agents in this offseason’s class. And he named a rather intriguing destination for Knies. Yerdon named the Utah Mammoth as the best landing spot for the Maple Leafs star.
“Look at what the Mammoth have in place with Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley. Three dynamic, young forwards who are just on the rise. Add in Nick Schmaltz, Barrett Hayton and Logan Crouse, and it’s a good mix for depth. Adding Knies would give them a goal-scoring forward who attacks the net and provides a different style that would complement their top stars very well,” Yerdon wrote of the potential fit.
Matthew Knies Addresses Potential Offer Sheet
Claus Andersen/Getty ImagesToronto Maple Leafs star Matthew Knies has made his feelings clear on a potential offer sheet this summer.
A team like the Mammoth would certainly benefit from adding a player like Knies in NHL Free Agency. However, it is not that simple. A player has to want to sign with a team. This rings especially true with a restricted free agent.
Knies was asked about potentially leaving Toronto during his end-of-season media availability. The 22-year-old knows there will be interest in his services, but his immediate focus remains on being a member of the Maple Leafs for the foreseeable future.
“I want to be here,” Knies said, via Sportsnet. “I want to play here. That’s all that matters to me.”
Maple Leafs Could Have Swung Major Knies Trade
A team like the Mammoth would make Knies an integral part of the team. For as much talent as the Mammoth have on the roster, Knies is a player who could become their leading star. His potential is that high.
His potential is recognized around the league. So much so that he was nearly involved in a major trade. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman mentioned that the team had a chance to trade him to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Mikko Rantanen. However, Toronto valued Knies and did not pull the trigger.
“They could have traded Matthew Knies for Rantanen this year. They didn’t, so they obviously think he’s going to be a big part of their future and we’ll see how those contract talks go. If you think someone is a core piece, you sign them for as long as you can because the price will never go down. And I think they will do that with Knies,” Friedman said, via Sportsnet.
Knies wants to return to Toronto this summer, and the Maple Leafs have high hopes for his future. A long-term contract makes a ton of sense. However, teams like the Mammoth will circulate once NHL Free Agency begins on July 1.
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