The Toronto Maple Leafs agreed to an entry-level contract with top prospect Matthew Knies.
Knies, drafted 57th overall in the 2021 Entry Draft, concluded his sophomore season with the Golden Gophers, recording a team-leading 21 goals and 40 points in 37 games.
The 20-year-old faced the decision to either turn pro and sign an entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs, or return to the University of Minnesota for the second straight season ahead of his junior year.
The Maple Leafs structured their salary cap post-deadline to leave enough room for Knies to slide in at the roughly $925,000 cap-hit his deal would possess.
With three games left in the regular season, the Leafs will get a chance to see if he can be a factor in their playoff lineup.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers lost in overtime against Quinnipiac in the NCAA hockey title game marking a second straight disappointing finish to their season with Knies onboard. Last season, the club fell to Minnesota State in the semi-finals, a seminal moment that ultimately drew the Arizona native back to school over “unfinished business.”
