Maple Leafs Fans Get Promising Update on Upcoming Free Agent..
Toronto Maple Leafs fans can breathe a little easier about one of the franchise’s upcoming free agents. According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, reporting on TSN’s “Insider Trading” on Friday, the 22-year-old forward isn’t interested in exploring offer sheets despite his pending restricted free agent status. “Matthew Knies himself is not really interested in entertaining an offer sheet,” Johnston said on TSN. “I don’t think that this is something that him or his agent is looking for heading into the marketplace.” Moreover, Johnston acknowledged that Toronto will make re-signing Knies “a big priority” in their offseason plans. “Matthew Knies is a big priority for the Maple Leafs and so, well, I can understand to some degree where the speculation of an offer sheet might be out there and being..
discussed,” Johnston said. “I don’t believe it’s really a threat when it comes to this player.” Knies is having a breakout campaign, having 29 goals in just 55 appearances, with four more games remaining on Toronto’s regular-season schedule. His entry-level contract, worth a total of $2.78 million over three seasons, expires on July 1, and he’ll be one of the most coveted RFAs available-in theory. That’s because Toronto retains the right to match any offer, and Johnston believes that won’t be a problem. “The Maple Leafs feel they have plenty of cap space to get their business done this summer,” Johnston said. “I really believe the Leafs are in a position to sign this player, and if he were to sign an offer sheet, they’d likely match it.” PuckPedia projects Toronto to have $27.4 million in cap space entering July 1. Fellow TSN insider Adam Scully echoed Johnston’s sentiment during a “First Up” segment, noting that while
rival teams might consider a bold move in submitting an offer sheet for the forward, Toronto won’t give them the chance to end up landing him. “He’s way too high up on their priority list to kind of leave this as an afterthought and allow someone to swoop in,” Scully said. “Toronto has craved a player like this for such a long time.” Related: Brad M
Landeskog Feels “Great” in Return But One Area Needs Work..
Avalanche star Gabriel Landeskog says his body feels great after first game back but admits his conditioning needs work before NHL return.
Gabriel Landeskog took a major step forward Friday night in his comeback journey, suiting up for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles in what marked his first professional hockey game in nearly three years. While the Colorado Avalanche captain was thrilled to be back in game action, he acknowledged there’s still work to do—specifically when it comes to getting his conditioning up to speed.
“Body feels great,” Landeskog said after the Eagles’ 2–0 win over the Henderson Silver Knights. “I was telling some of the guys on the bench my knee feels great. I’m just tired. We’re going to work on that.”
The 32-year-old logged nearly 15 minutes over 15 shifts in the game, registering two shots and a minor penalty. Most importantly, he came away feeling physically fine after three knee surgeries and a cartilage transplant that kept him out of action since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.
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