The Maple Leafs have been «grinding away» behind the scenes, working to make progress on new contracts for both John Tavares and Matthew Knies.
Negotiations have picked up in recent days, and there's a sense things are moving in the right direction. With Tavares set to become a UFA on July 1st, there's a clear push to get something done - both sides want it, and he's made it known he wants to finish his career in Toronto. There's a sense progress was made today.
Knies' situation is a bit different as an RFA, but Brad Treliving views both players as priorities and is aiming to have clarity before July 1st hits and free agency opens.