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So far, according to Knies, there have been no talks.

鈥淚t’s an end-of-the-season kind of thing to deal with; nothing’s going on,鈥� Knies told the Star in a recent interview. 鈥淲e’re all focused on the last few games, playoffs. It’s definitely not on my mind. I don’t think it’s on (management’s) minds, either ... obviously the media wants to put it out there, make it a story, but it’s not anything we’re focusing on.鈥�

The Arizona native is earning $925,000 (U.S.) and projects聽to make anywhere from

At 22, Knies is the youngest Leaf. He has set career highs with 24 goals and 19 assists heading into Saturday night’s home date with the Ottawa Senators. He hits, checks, skates well, makes plays and recently added fighting to his repertoire, making him an all-around force to be reckoned with.

Marner’s future is taking up a lot of oxygen in the 海角社区官网market, but sorting out Knies’ future might be just as important. Young players, so vital to a team’s future, are in short supply.

He’s been the Leafs’ best left-winger since Zach Hyman. Keeping up with Auston Matthews and Marner is not easy, as Nick Ritchie found out. Michael Bunting did an admirable job, and Tyler Bertuzzi took a while to fit in. But Knies can dig pucks out of the corner or take a beating while screening a goalie as well as any forward in the NHL.

That he’s so accomplished at such a young age makes signing him all the more important, especially after the Leafs recently traded away forward prospects Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin as well as their next three first-round draft picks.

As things stand, general manager Brad Treliving doesn’t have a lot of players to sign. The Leafs have eight forwards ($37.4 million), seven defencemen ($25.7 million) and their top two goalies ($6.17 million) under contract for next season.

. Marner, John Tavares, Max Pacioretty, Steven Lorentz and Jani Hakanp盲盲聽will become unrestricted free agents in the summer. Knies, Pontus Holmberg ($800,000) and Nick Robertson ($875,000) will be restricted free agents.

Not all of them need to be re-signed, but if not they’ll need to be replaced.

Given their resum茅s, Holmberg and Robertson won’t have much bargaining power, but Knies is a standout and could be targeted by another team with an offer sheet.

Marner is expected to command $13 million per season, while AFP Analytics estimates Tavares’s value at close to $7.9 million a year, but it “wouldn’t be shocking to see him come in lower to stay in Toronto,” said analyst James Finch.

If Tavares re-signs at $6 million per season, that would leave Treliving with just over $7 million (unless trades, waivers and buyouts change the equation).

The Leafs might want to sign Knies to a two-year deal at close to the low-end projection by聽 or 4.14 per cent of the cap. Knies would be 24 and still under team control as a restricted free agent at that point. The benefit for Knies would be to cash in later, when the salary cap climbs to $113.5 million or higher.

A longer deal聽鈥� say, six years at $6.6 million per聽鈥� would buy some of Knies’ free agency years in exchange for security on both sides. The comparables, according to AFP Analytics, are Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings (five years, $6.25 million average) and聽聽(eight years, $7.1 million average).

At that price, the Leafs might need to move another player, such as Max Domi ($3.75 million).

Or perhaps Knies would be the financial beneficiary if Marner leaves as a free agent.