NHL.com ranks Matthew Knies as 8th-best under-25 forward

NHL dot com has released their top 10 forwards under-25 and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies has cracked the list, landing at number 8.

Knies, 22, just signed a six-year extension to stay with the Maple Leafs after setting career highs in goals (29) and assists (29) for 58 points in 78 games last season. He was second on the team in hits by forwards and third overall, with 182 in 78 games. He was also third on the team in even strength goal. He had another successful playoff run, as well, with five goals and eight points in 13 games against the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers.

“[Knies] Established himself as a solid net-front presence at 5-on-5 and on the power play. Knies scored 29 goals in 78 games last season, and his 19.1 percent shooting percentage led Toronto. His 24 even-strength goals were third on the Maple Leafs, and Toronto averaged 49.8 percent of 5-on-5 shot attempts when he was on the ice, third among Maple Leafs forwards behind Auston Matthews (51.7 percent) and Nicholas Robertson (50.4 percent).” -Adam Kimelman, NHL dot com

Rounding out the top three were Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle, New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes, and Minnesota Wild forward Matthew Boldy, who finished first, second, and third on the list, respectively. Knies placed ahead of Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis, who finished ninth, and Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov, who finished tenth.

With the offseason departure of Mitch Marner for the Vegas Golden Knights, Knies is going to have a massive opportunity to further cement himself as part of the core. His style of play lines up with the type of play the Maple Leafs are looking to implement into their game and day-to-day culture, and considering he’s almost sniffing the 60-point mark only two years into his career, the Leafs could have a real unicorn type of player on their hands here. The type of player reminiscent of those such as Tom Wilson, Matthew Tkachuk, essentially any power forward that can produce offence at an elite level.

Knies is on the hook with the Maple Leafs for $7.75 million annually until after the 2030-31 season.