May 18: Knies took line rushes at morning skate in his usual spot alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and is thus expected to remain in the lineup for Game 7 tonight, per Johnston. Head coach Craig Berube later confirmed he’ll be in the lineup with no restrictions, per Kristen Shilton of ESPN.
May 17: The Toronto Maple Leafs could be without a top-line winger in their must-win matchup against the Florida Panthers on Sunday. Matthew Knies has been dubbed questionable with an undisclosed injury, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic, after playing just 13 minutes in Friday night’s win. Knies didn’t play in the final seven minutes of Game 6 and seemed to be nursing his shoulder through his final few shifts.
Losing Knies would be a significant blow for the Maple Leafs at the worst time. The 22-year-old winger has locked in a role on Toronto’s top line and powerplay unit over the year’s second half. He’s tied for second on the team with five goals and ranks third among Leafs forwards in average ice time in 12 games this postseason.
The performance has come on the heels of a breakout year during the regular season. Knies scored 58 points, split evenly, in 78 games this season, while converting on 19.1 percent of his shots. He also ranked second among Toronto forwards with 182 hits. The performance was a significant stride forward from the 15 goals and 35 points he managed last year, and earned Knies as much as 24 minutes of ice time through points in the year.
Filling Knies’ shoes would have to be a group effort for Toronto. His absence would likely push Nicholas Robertson back into the team’s bottom-six, after he served as a healthy scratch for Game 6, despite scoring the Leafs’ sole goal in Game 5. It’d also push Max Pacioretty further up the lineup and into an upgraded powerplay role, rewarding his eight points in 10 postseason appearances. But in a must-win game, boosting two slight-frame wingers likely wouldn’t make up for Knies’ imposing physical presence.
That could spark more ice time for a bruiser like Steven Lorentz, or push Toronto to lean heavier on the hard-nosed play of a star like William Nylander. The shift in strategy and approach with those moves will make Knies’ match readiness one of the league’s top storylines as Monday’s decisive matchup looms.
McMann is a serviceable replacement. Big body w straight line speed, decent hands.
Next man up mentality.
Really need Tavares to get it going. Been watching Woll since the Marlies and I’m not surprised by this run. Crazy stats in elimination games.
can call this series the conference finals, If the Leafs werent notorious choke artists then most would say the 2 best teams in the East in this Game 7
Argument for the Colorado – Dallas series as well.
I don’t think either one of these teams beats Carolina the way they’re playing defense right now.
yes indeed
Carolina is going to beat Toronto or Florida. Carolina is just playing solid hockey in the playoffs & Freddy Anderson is killing it in net for them (best goalie in these playoffs so far)
I do hope Toronto beats the Florida scumbags though. I don’t even like Toronto but I can’t stand Florida & their dirty lowball tactics.
If the Panthers yawn their way thru game 7 like they did in game 6, it won’t really matter.
Yes effort wasn’t good enough in game6. Both teams come out with their best in 7
If he is a player then play the game hurt sore whatever he is …that’s what makes hockey players the best athletes.