The Toronto Maple Leafs have made progress in re-signing free agents Matthew Knies and John Tavares, though deals don’t appear to be imminent, insider Darren Dreger reports.
During an appearance on TSN’s Overdrive from June 25, Dreger discussed how Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving has been active in looking to get a deal done to retain RFA Matthew Knies and UFA John Tavares.
Dreger noted:
“He’s (Treliving) grinding away on Tavares and Knies, there’s no doubt about that. You know, this morning it sounded like it was really slow-moving. I think that there’s been progress made today. I’m careful and hesitating in how I describe this because, to be fair, I don’t know if it’s solely with Tavares.”
The comments underscore how complex the negotiations have been between the Maple Leafs and their two big free-agent re-signings. As noted in an earlier piece, Toronto has apparently lowballed Tavares, setting a significant gap between both sides of the negotiation.
But as Dreger underscored, despite the slow movement, Tavares and Knies are atop the to-do list for Treliving:
He added:
“Those two guys are obviously the priority as you head into the weekend. I think you’d like to get them done ASAP.”
Dreger concluded that once the new contracts for Knies and Tavares are done, the Leafs can move on. The club can then focus on the draft. That situation means that Treliving would like to get something done before Friday. But somehow, that doesn’t seem imminent at this point.
Check out Dreger’s comments here:
Tavares Extension not Close on the Horizon
Reports over the last week have indicated that Tavares and the Maple Leafs are not close on an extension. A piece in Sports Illustrated from June 23 reported how the two sides are far apart in getting a deal done.
The Leafs have been trying to sign Tavares to a deal similar to the one Matt Duchene signed with the Dallas Stars. However, it seems that Tavares is looking for something similar to the one Brock Nelson got from the Colorado Avalanche.
If that’s the case, the significant gap could explain why Tavares and the Maple Leafs can’t seem to agree on a new contract.
The prevailing wisdom, nevertheless, is that the Leafs and Tavares will agree on a deal at some point. But judging from the way negotiations are reportedly going, a done deal could well go beyond July 1.
Focus on Knies, Tavares Shows Maple Leafs Have Moved on from Mitch Marner
Dreger’s comments regarding the Knies and Tavares extensions signal that the Maple Leafs have moved on from Mitch Marner. It appears the club is operating under the assumption that Marner will sign elsewhere post July 1.
While some reports have suggested Marner offered the Maple Leafs a meeting after July 1, among other teams. So, it doesn’t seem like the team is interested in talking with Marner’s camp.
Instead, it looks like Toronto is looking to allocate a fair chunk to re-signing Knies and Tavares. The club can then use the remainder to add more depth to round out the team’s roster.
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