'I Like To Take His Eyes': Why Matthew Knies Should Be The Maple Leafs’ Go-To Player in Front Of The Net On The Top Power Play Unit

Matthew Knies has always been a big presence on the ice, so it's no surprise that the Toronto Maple Leafs forward has mostly played one role on the power play his entire hockey career: the net-front position.

"I'm a bigger player, so I like to take [the goalie's] eyes and just make plays down there," Knies said on Tuesday. "Let the skill guys be on the outside and make those plays. They make incredible plays, so I just got to, you know, put my stick in a good area, and I'm sure they can find me."

The 22-year-old Knies embraced the net-front role as a college player with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, and he's recently become a big piece of the Leafs' top power-play unit. The Leafs first promoted him to the top unit when shuffling lines before a game against the Winnipeg Jets. Knies on Oct. 26 when he joined Max Pacioretty on the top unit, while William Nylander and John Tavares were moved to the second. Although that configuration didn’t generate a goal, the Leafs experimented further, even trying a five-forward setup in Minnesota with Knies remaining in front of the net. This lineup finally broke the Leafs out of a slump, where they had the league's worst power-play conversion rate at the time.

With Auston Matthews sidelined due to an upper-body injury, Knies stayed on the top unit, allowing Tavares to move to the net-front position temporarily. This setup proved fruitful, as the Leafs exploded with three power-play goals in a 4-0 win over the Boston Bruins. Knies set up a key screen that allowed Morgan Rielly to score the first power-play goal, blocking Brandon Carlo's path of coverage, which also allowed Nylander to bank a pass off Carlo’s foot into the goal. Later, Knies tipped a Nylander shot from the point to score his own power-play goal.

After the game, Knies credited Tavares, his former housemate from when he first joined the Leafs before the 2023 NHL Playoffs, as a mentor who taught him the nuances of the net-front role.

"After every practice, he's out there just working on tips, little plays around the net, keeping his head up, his footwork, keeping his body in front of it, stuff like that," Knies said. "It looks easy, but it's definitely harder than it seems."

All four of the Leafs power-play goals over the two-game stretch came with Knies in front of the net, busting out of a stretch where Toronto was 3-for-38 to start the season.

Knies’ performance on the power play, along with his time on the penalty kill, has made him a favorite under new head coach Craig Berube. As he continues to grow more confident, Knies' contributions have sparked early discussions about the value of his next contract as a restricted free agent. He's in the final year of an entry-level contract that pays him an average annual value of $925,000 per season.

"I get more confident in each game. As the season goes on, obviously, I'm playing with some incredible players," Knies shared. "It just gives me confidence, you know, with the puck. And, you know, getting to see those minutes and those opportunities, it's, you know, I'm very fortunate for it. So I just got to keep working and keep pushing to, you know, kind of stay in that spot."

Knies' physical presence, adaptability, and willingness to learn have not only strengthened his position on the Leafs' top power-play unit but have also highlighted his potential as a core player for Toronto in the years to come.