Maple Leafs' Matthew Knies Is A Different Player Playing Alongside Auston Matthews

Matthew Knies is a different player when he has Auston Matthews as his center, and it’s exactly what the Toronto Maple Leafs need.

It’s no secret that coach Craig Berube has changed the culture and play style of the Maple Leafs. The defensive side of the puck comes first, and offensively, he wants to see his players continuously pushing north and south. Early on during his tenure, he quickly identified Knies as someone who resembles everything he is looking for.

With that, the 22-year-old has seen his minutes increase at even strength on the power play and the penalty kill, which is a key factor in why he will obliterate his rookie season numbers.

Knies has equalled his goal total in just 39 games and is 10 points off of equalling his 2023-24 total. A lot of his success should be attributed to his skill set and understanding of the game, but Matthews has had a larger impact on his game than it may seem.

With Matthews in the lineup, Knies has recorded 13 goals, 19 points and 49 shots in 26 games. When Matthews was absent due to his injury issues, Knies mustered just two goals, six points, and 17 shots in 13 games.

It’s not surprising to see a change in production. It’s very common for a player's numbers to dip when a player of Matthews’ caliber is out of the lineup.

What is surprising is how large the discrepancy is. Part of that can be put on a young player still attempting to adapt to the NHL, but when Knies plays alongside Matthews and Mitch Marner, he becomes the third-most dangerous player on the ice, allowing him to get into high-danger areas on the ice almost uncontested. That’s a luxury he doesn’t receive when Matthews is out.

When he does get to those high-danger areas, his big frame allows him to get to body position and be first to rebounds and loose pucks.

Saturday’s game against the Boston Bruins was a perfect example of how Matthews opens the game up for Knies.

His first goal sees him float out in front of the Bruins goal with little pressure from Nikita Zadorov. The passing lane for the deflection opens up because two Bruins forwards were afraid of giving Matthews too much space. He made the quick-shot pass, and Knies deflected it behind his back past Jeremy Swayman.

Knies' hat-trick goal was created entirely by Matthews. The Maple Leafs’ captain was first to the puck after gaining the zone with control. He once again drew the attention of two Bruins forwards, allowing Knies to time his drive to the net and score on the one-timer.

"That was a whole year for me," Berube told reporters about Knies following the Maple Leafs' 6-4 win over the Bruins. "I thought he was a great player tonight. Just challenging (Boston's defense) with his speed, direct shooting. I like that he just attacked and shot and wasn't always looking for the other guys. He was playing his game. Very effective. The whole line was really good."

The Phoenix, Ariz., native can create his own offense, showing flashes throughout his young career, and he will continue to improve on that as he gains more experience in the NHL. But Knies thrives playing with a playmaker and a shooter, just as he did during his sophomore season with the Minnesota Gophers, playing alongside Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud.

With the tools to be a difference-maker in the playoffs, Berube is doing his best to prepare Knies for that role throughout the regular season.

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