Analyst predicts Leafs' Knies will draw bigger role in sophomore season

Coming off a solid rookie season in which he scored 15 goals and 35 points in 80 games as a rookie, and adding three more in seven games in the post-season, where he was a force, it's expected the six-foot, 217-pound forward will be even better in his second season.

Knies, taken 57th overall by the Leafs in the 2021 National Hockey League entry draft, should flourish under new head coach Craig Berube, who likes his forwards big and unafraid to go to the dirty spots.

The confidence Knies displayed against the Bruins in the playoffs, Fox said, should serve him well heading into his sophomore season.
Fox also speculated in his latest column that Knies could be a candidate for a long-term contract extension, which he is now eligible to sign, somewhere in the six-year, $5.5 million per season range.

It seems like a lot for a guy with so little experience, but one of the best ways NHL GMs can get value in the salary cap world is to bet early on their young players, with Knies having shown he's a more than capable top-6 forward in today's NHL.

Fox predicts that Knies will line up with Mitch Marner on captain Auston Matthews top line, in the wake of Tyler Bertuzzi's departure; Fox also speculated that Berube will experiment with a few combinations and reunite Matthews and Domi at some point.

It's an exciting time to be a Maple Leafs fan, and the question of extending Knies is no longer an "if" but "when".

Source: Sportsnet
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