Playoff hockey is different. The pace is elevated, the stakes are sky-high, and often times, the player who swings a series isn’t the one everyone expects. As the Toronto Maple Leafs get ready for the second game of the Battle of Ontario, holding a 1-0 lead, keep your eyes on No. 23, Matthew Knies.
Knies has a unique mix of power, poise and grit that can take over a playoff game. He has solidified these traits over a successful regular season campaign which saw him flourish into a high-level power forward , which cannot come at a better time as he might just be the key to the Leafs grabbing a stranglehold on this series.
The impact Matthew Knies makes is clear. He potted a power-play goal in Game 1 , but more importantly, he took on massive minutes logging a total of 22:28 time on ice, more than any other forward. Knies has been riding shotgun with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on the Leafs' top line, and has solidified his spot on the top power-play unit. That’s the coaching staff leaning on a guy they believe can handle the heat and pressure a big stage demands, a testament to how quickly he’s become a core piece.
What makes Knies an impact player, especially now? It’s his tool kit, a kit which every team in the NHL desires. He’s built like a truck (6-foot-3, 217 lbs), plays with sandpaper in his game and possesses the hands and hockey IQ that defy the typical power forward label. This past season, he became the first Maple Leaf ever (since they started tracking hits) to rack up 25 goals and 150 hits. The only other players in the league to do that were Brady Tkachuk and Tom Wilson. That shows the kind of unique, impactful player he’s becoming – someone who can score, punish, and change the flow of a game.
It was a journey for Knies to develop into the player he has become. The Athletic revealed last year: this confident, imposing presence wasn’t always a given. Back in his standout college days at Minnesota, Knies openly talked about working through a “fear of failure, fear of losing a battle.” A player this physically gifted battling those internal doubts, sometimes hesitating to fully impose his will was hindering his own success by not utilizing all he had to offer. Learning to trust his instincts and embrace the physicality without fear, seems to have unlocked another level. It adds a whole new layer to the determined player we see now, someone who fought an internal battle to thrive into the unicorn like player we see today.
The Playoff Difference-Maker
Now, heading into an intense Game 2, Knies feels tailor-made for the moment. Playoff hockey demands relentless effort in the dirty areas – battling along the boards, fighting for net-front position, absorbing and delivering punishment. That’s Knies’s bread and butter. He’s already shown flashes of playoff brilliance in his young career, chipping in on massive goals when the lights were brightest.
This series inevitably pits him against another player built for the playoffs in Brady Tkachuk. The Senators captain loves to stir things up and dominate physically. But Knies has the frame, the strength, and crucially, the skill to match that intensity and answer back.
It’s not just about cancelling Tkachuk out; Knies presents his own unique threat that Ottawa has to account for. Having a player who can engage in those tough matchups while still being a consistent scoring threat is an invaluable playoff asset.
As the Leafs look to protect home ice and go up 2-0 in the series, Matthew Knies is the X-factor the Leafs need the most. He’s got the rare physical tools, the skill, the proven big-game nerve, and the backstory of a player who overcame his own hurdles to get here. He’s evolved into far more than just a promising rookie; he’s a potential game-breaker, the kind of intangible player who can impose his will and drive the Leafs to another crucial victory tonight.