Maple Leafs will need some internal help after latest injury report

The Maple Leafs will need some much-needed help as their injury situation has only gotten worse.

With William Nylander out already, the Maple Leafs have also labelled Matthew Knies as a game-time decision for Monday night's contest against the Minnesota Wild.

Knies has been dealing with a lingering injury since the beginning of the season. Additionally, Knies was not on the ice for the Leafs' morning skate on Monday.

Matthew Knies lingering injury concerns

Knies's lingering injury has not progressed and has seemingly gotten worse. Knies has missed some three games this season in the middle of November due to an upper-body injury. The Maple Leafs are likely going to be forced to shuffle their lineup to fill Nylander and Knies's gap. During the morning skate, we saw Scott Laughton bumped up to the second line, with Jacob Quillan filling the hole on the Leafs fourth line.

If both Knies and Nylander miss time with injury, the Leafs will need their stars and depth to step up in a big way. Knies and Nylander are two crucial players in the Leafs' lineup, and a prolonged injury absence can prove to be crucial for a team currently sitting on the outside looking in. The Maple Leafs will need to find some internal solutions in the meantime to fill the scoring gaps. This next stretch of hockey is very important for the Maple Leafs as they need to stay within reach of a tight Eastern Conference playoff race.

Where do the Leafs go from here?

The Maple Leafs will need to play more of a complete 60-minute effort where they value defence over going full throttle on offence. Auston Matthews will be another player who will have to continue his hot streak. Without Nylander and Knies, the majority of the offence will be generated by 34, as they simply don't have the firepower to compete with many other teams. Joseph Woll will need to keep up his strong play as of late, as the Leafs will likely spend some more time in their own zone rather than pushing for offence.

The Maple Leafs will need everyone to step up if Knies and Nylander miss a long period of time. Craig Berube will have to build some chemistry on the second line and direct game plans that fit the style of game that his players are capable of playing. The Maple Leafs have done well without Nylander this season. If Knies is not able to play, the Leafs will need some of their best hockey.