Matthew Knies already has experience representing his country at one of the biggest sporting events in the world, but he's not going to let that affect his mindset trying to do that again.
The Toronto Maple Leafs winger was invited to take part in Team USA's Olympic orientation camp taking place in Michigan this week and is going to be battling with NHL superstars to try to get on that final roster for the first best-on-best Olympic tournament we have had since 2014.
When he was a freshman at the University of Minnesota, Knies was able to be on Team USA for the 2022 Winter Olympics -- but that was only due to him not being a professional yet and before he made his NHL debut for Toronto. Now, it's a different story.
With that history, Knies will still not take the initial invitation and the experience at the upcoming camp, for granted.
“I’ve got to earn my way on that team come February” - Matthew Knies on USA Hockey Olympic Orientation Camp invite. #leafs pic.twitter.com/kq7kdAK0o0
— Lindsay Dunn (@LindsayDunnTV) August 23, 2025
"It was an honour," Knies said about receiving the invite to USA's Olympic camp, via Lindsay Dunn. "To be amongst some of the best players in the U.S., it's special. And to be invited to that, I'm not going to take it for granted. I just have to earn my way on to that team come February -- I'm just going to try to work my hardest."
While Knies somewhat walked onto the team back in 2022 as one of the top American prospects in the world, this time is going to be a little bit tougher. Matt Boldy, Cole Caufield, Kyle Connor, Conor Garland, Jake Guentzel, Alex Tuch, Jason Robertson, Patrick Kane -- all of these wingers are going to be fighting tooth and nail to get a spot on the Olympic team. And that's not even mentioning centers like Tage Thompson and Dylan Larkin who are likely to play on the wing if they make the team. There are so many star-level American forwards and Knies is going to have to scratch and claw his way to shine above that crowd.
The Leafs will certainly have other representatives at the Olympics -- both Auston Matthews and William Nylander are locks for their respective teams and John Tavares will certainly be considered for Team Canada if he performs well at their upcoming camp.