This Is Why Matthew Knies Is Due for a Monster Season

Matthew Knies suits up for playoff game against Florida Panthers

Matthew Knies, a player who fans have claimed was massively overhyped before finally signing and making his NHL debut at the end of the 2022-23 season. Knies came into the National Hockey League and was a massive contributor to the Leafs overcoming their first-round curse. With Knies recovering from a concussion, he will look to become a major player with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Here is why Matthew Knies is due for a monster season this year.

Knies Showed Multiple Glimpses of Greatness

In the ten NHL games that Matthew Knies played last year, three were in the regular season, while the other seven were playoff games. Knies recorded one goal and four assists for four total points. Only one assist was recorded in the regular season, but Knies had many high-danger opportunities to score and even better chances assist-wise. When Matthew Knies was on the ice, the opposing team needed to make sure their defense was excellent. Knies and any of his linemates were a legitimate offensive threat on the ice. However, Knies excelled most with Maple Leafs captain John Tavares and star winger Mitch Marner.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone either, though; the likelihood that Knies plays on the second line with Marner and Tavares is to be determined. New Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving inherited an already stellar team, but it was the additions he made that pushed this team to new heights. The possibilities are endless, and the Leafs now have Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander, Bertuzzi, Domi, and Knies to use in their top six. Nick Robertson will also look to reclaim himself this season after suffering another injury early in the 2022-23 season.

Related: Matthew Knies Stats

Knies’ glimpses of greatness came in the game he debuted against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Knies performed beyond what was expected of him, and this helped the young star earn the trust of his coach, Sheldon Keefe. Knies wouldn’t put up impressive numbers across the stat sheet, but his determination and sheer will on the ice is what got him a top-six roster spot early on.

The best part of Knies’ game came in the playoffs, recording the primary assist on John Tavares’ series-winning goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Knies played the dirty areas on the ice and made sure that he continued to play that way, regardless of the team he was playing. The only downfall to Knies’ strong playoff performance was an injury, and injuries are unavoidable in the NHL.

Matthew Knies 2023-24 Season Prediction

Do I think Matthew Knies has a legitimate shot at the 2024 Calder Memorial Trophy? Yes, in fact, I think Matthew Knies has a chance at being the runner-up or even the player who is awarded the 2024 Calder Memorial Trophy.

I want to set the bar, I think Matthew Knies will score more than 55 points this season, which shouldn’t be outlandish. 20 goals and 35 assists shouldn’t be too terribly difficult to hit. However, if the spot in the lineup isn’t in the top six, we might be looking at a different point total.

I can see Sheldon Keefe giving everyone the opportunity to earn their spot in the lineup, including their star players. Adding Bertuzzi and Domi into the mix makes for a stronger core and adds more competition to their lineup. However, I do see Knies ending up with Tavares and Bertuzzi on his line for small stints throughout the season.

Final Thoughts

I think it goes without saying that Matthew Knies is one of the Leafs’ brightest young prospects heading into the 2023-24 season. Matthew Knies will certainly be ready for a new start with an entire season ahead of him.

Preseason Debut – All New Blue Leafs Late Night

WELCOME BACK TO LEAFS LATE NIGHT! Presented by Inside The RinkRoscoe / Biehner / Marty- Too Early- Woll & Murray- Patches & Solutions- This One Time, At Training CampNEW MERCH IS AVAILABLE!JOIN OUR DISCORD!Remember to follow us on Twitter @LeafsLateNight & IG @LeafsLateNightCheck out Mike, Josh, and Nathan's articles on the Leafs + many more! insidetherink.comHow to support us and our sponsors:TicketmasterColumbia Sports ApparelESPN+ SubscriptionFanaticsDraft Kings – CODE ITR
  1. Preseason Debut – All New Blue
  2. Scepters, Sirens & Season 4
  3. Auston, The Captain – Lost Episode
  4. Bold Signings and Bolder Tweets
  5. Salty Lakes, Salty Agents, & Salty Fans

Conrad Jack

Conrad Jack is a Manitoba based sportswriter covering the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and the Manitoba Moose (AHL). He also covers the NHL Draft and World Junior Championship for ITR. He writes the Bargain Bin blog which covers NHL News & Rumours.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Red Wings Takeaways vs. Devils

A Look at the First Month of the Red Wings Season

Through the first 10 games of the 2024-25 NHL season, the Detroit Red Wings have a record of 4-5-1. The team sits in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with nine points, despite having signed seven different goalies to the roster during the offseason. All six Atlantic Division teams had a win percentage of .500. […]

Read More

Injury Report: Auston Matthews Day-To-Day With Upper-Body Injury

Toronto Maple Leafs Captain Auston Matthews has been listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury today, November 5, 2024, by the Maple Leafs prior to their matchup against the Boston Bruins. There was suspicion that Matthews was dealing with a lingering wrist issue that led to surgery in 2021. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was […]

Read More
Max Jones #49 skating for the Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Place Forward on Waivers

After a lackluster start to the regular season, Don Sweeney hasn’t been shy about making roster moves early this season. After signing Tyler Johnson to a one-year contract recently, Sweeney has placed Max Jones on waivers, assumably to assign him to the Providence Bruins. Jones becomes the second forward in the Bruins bottom-six to hit waiver […]

Read More