Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies has solidified himself among the NHL's top power forwards, as he joins a list of forwards with 150 hits and 25 goals in a single season. The only other players on that list are Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk and Capital's forward Tom Wilson.
According to MoneyPuck.com, this season, Tkahuck has 27 goals with 215 hits, Wilson has 30 goals with 191 hits, and Knies has 25 goals and 155 hits. What's impressive about Knies reaching such a milestone is that he's only in year two of his NHL career, while Tkachuk is in year seven and Wilson year 11. For Tkachuk, it's the fourth time he's reached the 25-goal and 150-hit mark, while it's Wilson's first time on the list.
After being drafted by the Leafs in 2021, Knies proved quickly at the University of Minnesota why he deserves a roster spot in the Leaf's lineup, as he put up 42 points in 40 games with the Gophers on their top line with Utah's Logan Cooley, while also being a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the NCAA's best player, per eliteprospects.
One day after Minnesota lost to the University of Quinnipiac in the NCCA's Frozen Four championship game, Knies signed his entry-level contract with the Leafs and met them in Florida to finish the final three games of the regular season. Knies flashed his talent in those three games, enough to make it in Toronto’s lineup for game one of the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Matthew Knies on list of players with 25 goals and 150 hits in a single season
In that series against the Lightning, Knies had three assists while showing an unusual amount of poise and confidence with the puck for a rookie. Knies would often carry the puck with confidence and deke guys out while also using his big frame in the corners to shield the puck from defenders.
During Toronto’s 2022 playoff run, Knies provided a jolt of energy to the lineup while logging a respectable 13 minutes of ice time for a rookie, and even played 19 minutes in game two against Tampa.
Knies scored his first NHL goal in game one against the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs that year. In seven post-season games, Knies had 15 hits, proving the complete transition of his collegiate career to the NHL, and it has only grown since then.
Along with his physicality, Knies won't shy away from dropping the gloves either, not to the same degree as Tkachuk or Wilson, but he won't back down. Just ask Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud, who caught Knies with a high hit earlier this season in Toronto, putting him out of the lineup. Months later, when the Leafs were in Vegas, Knies got his payback by dropping the mitts on the opening faceoff and fed Whitecloud so many lefts he was begging for a right.
Since Knies' first stint with the Leafs, his role has only grown, as he now finds himself on the Leaf's top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, a line that is 10th in expected goals this season. Knies' 25 goals this season are good enough for fourth best on this Leafs roster.
Knies is only 22 years old, and this milestone has cemented him as a premier power forward in the league. If the Leafs finally make a deep playoff run, Knies will have definitely played a big role.