Kevin Bieksa predicts 60-pt, 25-goal season for Toronto Maple Leafs' "next Marner, Matthews"

Forward Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs is poised to become the next Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner, according to Sportsnet analyst Kevin Bieksa.

During the intermission of Saturday night’s broadcast of the Pittsburgh Penguins-Toronto Maple Leafs game, Bieksa lauded Knies’ growth and development.

Bieksa said:

“I think this is going to be a breakout year for Matthew Knies.”

Bieksa elaborated on how Knies had a great playoff performance last season and his strong start on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top line this year. Bieksa added:

“What’s the next step for Matthew Knies? Obviously one of the guys they’ve developed. They want to see Knies become the next Matthews or Marner.”

Bieksa also explained that Knies is bigger and stronger this season, improving his overall game by holding the puck longer and making it harder for opponents to challenge him.

Bieksa concluded:

“He’s a guy I’m watching, like, is he going to get to 60 points this year? Is he going to get maybe to 25 goals this year? I think the ceiling is very high for him.”

Bieksa’s comments underscore how far Knies has come along in his tenure with the Leafs. Knies seems to have solidified his spot on the top line alongside Matthews and Marner.

\Matthew Knies set to be a cornerstone for the Toronto Maple Leafs

Elliotte Friedman recently noted that Knies wore an "A" on his jersey during the team's final preseason game, a move that caught his attention as it points to Knies potentially becoming a key figure in Toronto’s future.

However, Knies is currently playing in the final year of his entry-level contract, which led Friedman to point out on the "32 Thoughts" podcast that the Leafs must lock Knies up for as long as possible.

Friedman said (perThe Hockey News):

“You know my rule, if you have a cornerstone player that’s 21 years old, then you go out, you sign them for as long as you can because the price never goes down.”

According to Friedman, there have been “conversations” between the Leafs and Knies’ agent. Nevertheless, no agreements have been reached. Overall, Friedman believes that the Leafs’ best move is to sign Knies for as long as possible.