Oh yes, times are good in Toronto right now, with the Maple Leafs snagging another win on Monday night against the lowly Chicago Blackhawks. Overall, you can credit the Leafs excellent season to date with not necessarily elite scoring, as they’re just 17th in the NHL with 74 goals prior to Tuesday night.
Instead, their defense and goaltending have been remarkable, ranking second in the league with just 61 goals against. Yeah, not a bad trade-off so far from last season, in which we saw the Leafs look hopeless at times in all things defense and goaltending. But, the player I’d like to describe as “heating up” so far in December is a forward.
And no, they aren’t your usual high scorers like William Nylander or John Tavares, nor are they a playmaker like Mitch Marner. Not even a returning Auston Matthews, whose absence didn’t tank this team. Nope, I’d like to instead discuss Matthew Knies, the year he’s been having, and what’s making him a player to watch in December and, hopefully, beyond.
Matthew Knies may be heating up as the Maple Leafs seek to dominate
As I write this, Matthew Knies has been finding the net often all season, and he’s currently got 10 goals, five assists, 15 points, and a 25.0 shooting percentage. With 47 hits, he’s one of the more physical forwards out there that has found a spot on a team’s top six, and what’s scary is the fact he’s yet to hit his prime.
With scorers and playmakers abundant on the Maple Leafs, even in a campaign when scoring hasn’t been their go-to for success, Knies won’t be all-world in points production. But it doesn’t mean he won’t enjoy an elite month here or there, something he seems to be foreshadowing.
Across his past five games, Knies has five points and three goals, including one in Monday’s win over the Blackhawks. No, he’s not plus-50 in Corsi For at even strength right now, but that won’t be an issue if he keeps producing not just with his own numbers but the impact he’s having while on the ice.
Turning back to even strength, Knies has an on-ice shooting percentage of 12.0, and has seen his team score 20 times. Not bad, and he’s well on pace to make an impact on 70-plus goals scored this season at even strength at the rate he’s going, and 30 overall goals from Knies himself may not be out of the question should he enjoy a red-hot December.