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Matthew Knies

Maple Leafs To Activate Auston Matthews, Nicolas Roy From IR

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Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Nicolas Roy will be activated from injured reserve ahead of tonight’s game against the Blue Jackets, per Mark Masters of TSN. Toronto needs to open up a pair of roster spots before it does so. One of them has been opened by reassigning center Jacob Quillan to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, David Alter of The Hockey News reports. Also returning to the lineup is top-line winger Matthew Knies, who’d missed the last three games with a lower-body issue but never landed on IR.

Matthews returns after a two-week absence. The Leafs captain sustained a lower-body injury when Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov leveled him on Nov. 11. He sat out the last five games, during which time the reeling Leafs went 1-2-2. Their lone win in that period, a 3-2 overtime victory over the Blues on Nov. 18, is their only victory in the last three weeks.

Without Matthews, the Leafs, who have relied heavily on their offense to outscore their defensive shortcomings this season, only managed 2.4 goals per game. While the two-time 60-goal scorer hasn’t performed to that level of dominance this season, his return remains a legitimate needle-mover as Toronto looks to string together some solid two-way efforts with five games left on its road trip. Through 17 appearances, Matthews was finishing at a 13.8% clip – the third-lowest of his 10-year career – for nine goals and five assists.

The most concerning aspect of Matthews’ performance pre-injury was his possession play. Over the past several seasons, he’d emerged as a Selke-level defensive threat in addition to his elite scoring ability, finishing as a finalist for the award in 2024. The Leafs are still outscoring opponents 16-8 at 5-on-5 with Matthews on the ice this year, but the under-the-hood numbers have taken a significant step back. Matthews had controlled 52% of shot attempts or better for seven consecutive seasons, but has just a 46.9 CF% in 2025-26.

Joining Matthews in the lineup down the middle will be Roy, who sustained an upper-body injury against the Blackhawks on Nov. 15 and had missed the last three games. Aside from his work in the faceoff dot (52.3% win rate), there hasn’t been much to like from the 28-year-old, whom the Leafs acquired from the Golden Knights in last summer’s Mitch Marner sign-and-trade. He’s been limited to just one goal and four points in 19 appearances, and his deployment as a defensive specialist at even strength has greatly limited his two-way effectiveness. He’s averaging fewer than two shot attempts per game for the first time since 2021, and the Leafs have been outscored 13-8 with him on the ice at 5-on-5.

Quillan had gotten the call-up in Roy’s absence but, as one of two waiver-exempt skaters on the Leafs’ roster, was the logical choice to be the first one sent down when Toronto needed a roster spot – especially considering he was a healthy scratch for Saturday’s loss in Montreal. The 23-year-old second-year pro earned the look after a scorching start to his season with the Marlies, rattling off two goals and 12 assists in 14 appearances for a point per game.

In two appearances, he was deployed as the Leafs’ fourth-line center between Dakota Joshua and Matias Maccelli. He didn’t record a point but did manage a +1 rating while averaging 8:39 of ice time per game. The undrafted free agent out of Quinnipiac laid six hits as well.

Atlantic Notes: Maple Leafs, Benson, McAvoy

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While the Maple Leafs had both Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies available at practice yesterday, it appears they’ll be without both of them for at least one more game.  Head coach Craig Berube told reporters including TSN’s Mark Masters (Twitter link) that both forwards are considered as doubtful for tonight against Montreal.  Matthews has missed the last week and a half with a lower-body injury while Knies hasn’t played since last weekend due to a lower-body injury of his own.  Both players are key cogs in Toronto’s top-five attack (in terms of goals scored) with Matthews being tied for second on the team in goals while Knies sits third in points but they’ll have to wait another game at least before returning.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • After welcoming back Jason Zucker last night against Chicago, the Sabres should get another key winger back on Sunday versus Carolina. Head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters including Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic (Twitter link) before last night’s game that winger Zach Benson probably could have suited up in that one but they elected to be cautious and give him a couple of extra days of rest.  Benson has missed a little more than three weeks with his lower-body injury but had been a strong playmaker beforehand, picking up eight assists in as many games.
  • Earlier this week, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy underwent facial surgery after taking a redirected puck to the face against Montreal. While there’s no firm timeline for a return, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan recently reported (Twitter link) that the expectation is that he should be cleared to return for the Olympics in February.  McAvoy was part of Team USA’s entry for the 4 Nations Face-Off last winter (before being injured midway through the event) and should have a strong chance of making the Olympic roster which will be announced in early January.

Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies Out Day-To-Day

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that top winger Matthew Knies will miss Tuesday night’s match against the St. Louis Blues with a day-to-day, lower-body injury. He joins a laundry list of injuries in Toronto that also includes Auston Matthews, Brandon Carlo, Chris Tanev, and Anthony Stolarz.

Interestingly, Knies’ injury will bring Toronto up to $36MM in cap sapce on the injury list, nearly 40 percent of their total cap, per James Mirtle of The Athletic.

Knies, Toronto’s star winger, will join the club’s top center and starting goaltender on the sideline. He has been heavily leaned on over the course of the year, averaging over 20 minutes of ice time through 19 games so far. Knies has rewarded that deployment with a career-year early on. He has five goals and 22 points on the year, enough to rank third on the team in scoring behind William Nylander (26) and John Tavares (24).

Knies was well-due for the strong start. He has assumed the role of Matthews’ handcuff after century-scorer Mitch Marner moved to the Vegas Golden Knights this summer. Knies posted 58 points, split evenly, in 78 games from a second-line role last season. That performance was itself a step up from his standout rookie year, when he scored 15 goals and 35 points in 80 games.

Tavares and Nylander will take over the top line with Matthews and Knies on the shelf. Next to them will again be shoot-first winger Nicholas Robertson, while Matias Maccelli will return to a top-six role behind him. Robertson, Maccelli, and rookie Easton Cowan will be the beneficiaries of Knies’ ice time for the duration of his absence.

Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies Could Be Beneficiary Of Marner Move

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The conversation of which forward will step up for the Toronto Maple Leafs is beginning to grow as players reconvene for training camp. Toronto lost 100-point scorer Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights, and failed to find a suitable replacement on the open market. That will leave the task of filling Marner’s shoes to one of the Leafs’ current stars. Left-winger Matthew Knies dubbed William Nylander as the best bet in an interview with Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. But following a true breakout performance last year, Knies could be the one best setup for another big step.

Knies found his way in the Maple Leafs lineup with a career-high 58 points, split evenly, in 78 games. He found his way onto Toronto’s top line at the age of just 22, becoming the heavy play-driver behind Auston Matthews and Marner. The star-studded company helped Knies reach a lofty 19.1 shooting percentage that will be tough to maintain, but his habits of driving hard into the slot will become a defining trait.

That style complements the similar heft and drive of Nylander, who has spearheaded one of the best second lines in the league next to passer John Tavares. Nylander reached a career-high 45 goals last season, after two seasons of scoring 40 goals. He’s undeniably a star on the rise, though on the back of stepping up as the #1 of his own line – rather than playing along Toronto’s other stars.

That independent ability could convince head coach Craig Berube to leave Nylander separate from the top line. The Swedish star wouldn’t commit to a role when asked, saying his only plans for next year are to dominate the minutes he does receive. If Nylander doesn’t elevate to the top line, Knies will confidently move into the line’s role of #2 behind Matthews. The responsibilities of that status will include teeing up Matthews, and burying the rebounds that his heavy shots generate.

Even on the back of a sky-high shooting percentage, Knies seems well-equipped to match that bill. He showed might in all three layers of the offensive zone, and is still incredibly early in his professional development. The help of a skilled passer, like Matias Maccelli, or the reserved grit of a player like Nicolas Roy could be enough support to let Knies dig in his feet as the star Toronto needs.

A ramp into more responsibility is exactly what Knies is due for after flashing as a 30-goal hopeful last season. He faces a tough task in maintaining his performance from last season, and an even tougher test in finding ways to improve. But in a lineup looking for a big performance, Knies could be the one holding the most potential. Growing to the heights of 65, or even 70, points would maintain Toronto’s mighty top-six, vindicate Knies’ recent contract extension, and undoubtedly cement him as the club’s biggest draft steal in years.

Maple Leafs Sign Matthew Knies To Six-Year Deal

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July 1: The Knies deal was officially registered today after issuing him a qualifying offer yesterday, the club announced. Because of that, he was technically an RFA for a few hours, so the deal doesn’t qualify as a true extension. With Knies’ deal on the books and the Marner sign-and-trade completed, the team enters the free agent signing period with $5.8MM in cap space to spend on one open roster spot. The deal breaks down as follows, per PuckPedia:

2025-26: $3MM salary, $6MM signing bonus
2026-27 – 2027-28: $7MM salary, $2MM SB
2028-29: $6.5MM salary, $500,000 SB
2029-30: $6.25MM salary
2030-31: $6.25MM salary, 10-team no-trade list

June 29: The Toronto Maple Leafs and forward Matthew Knies have agreed to a six-year, $46.5MM extension, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The deal comes with a $7.75MM AAV.

Knies, who is coming off a 29-goal, 58-point campaign, will remain in Toronto long-term after being selected by the Maple Leafs in the second round of the 2021 draft.

Knies was set for restricted free agency, but Toronto wrapped up the winger before he could receive any offers from additional teams. The 22-year-old showcased his abilities last season, sniping nearly 30 goals while forming one of the top lines in the league alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. With Marner likely to leave the Maple Leafs in free agency, the team made sure not to lose Knies or recently extended John Tavares.

The extension comes after Knies discussed his hope to remain in Toronto long term at his end-of-season media availability on May 20th. In part, he stated: “I love to play in this city. I think it’s a blast. I want to be here and I want to play here. That’s all that really matters to me,” he said. “I love this group and everyone in this locker room. I think there’s really a chance to win here, and I think it’s the best chance for me to win.”

The American-born Knies has scored 44 goals and 94 points in 161 games for Toronto. Knies also showcased a strong performance during the playoffs last season, posting five goals and seven points in 13 games.

The extension leaves the Leafs with just north of $13.5MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. Now that Knies is signed, GM Brad Treliving can turn his focus to other pending RFAs, including Nicholas Robertson and Pontus Holmberg, before setting his sights on unrestricted free agency.

RFA Notes: Dobson, Knies, Cuylle

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In today’s rendition of 32 Thoughts with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the podcast host reports that the New York Islanders are quietly testing the market for defenseman Noah Dobson. Friedman believes the Islanders aren’t ready to move him yet, but are simply conducting their due diligence in case he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season.

Dobson’s projected market value is hard to ascertain. After scoring 10 goals and 70 points in 79 games, averaging 24:31 of ice time per night, and finishing eighth in Norris Trophy voting in the 2023-24 season, Dobson’s play collapsed in 2024-25, largely due to injuries. He’s entering restricted free agency on the heels of a 10-goal, 39-point campaign and is only a year away from unrestricted free agency.

According to Friedman, the Islanders believe that if Dobson can replicate his performance from 2023-24, he’ll command an AAV of more than $10MM per year on his next deal, and that may not be something they’re willing to do. The likelihood of him being traded remains low, but the fact that the Islanders are open to hearing offers is a significant change in their approach from the regular season.

Other notes regarding a few more RFAs:

  • With a boatload of cap space, the Toronto Maple Leafs need not worry about a Matthew Knies offer sheet this summer. Still, they will want to sign the deal soon to understand their financial flexibility during the summer months. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that there is no consensus on the progress of the negotiations. One side believes a deal is close, while the other side indicates that it is not. Unfortunately, he did not specify which side holds each perspective. Regardless, it appears that the final deal should fall in the three-to-five-year range.
  • Although all eyes are on the status of restricted free agent defenseman K’Andre Miller, the New York Rangers have another quality RFA to worry about. According to a new article by Peter Baugh in The Athletic, the Rangers have initiated talks with Will Cuylle, and both parties are interested in a contract extension. Baugh expects the Rangers and Cuylle to agree on a three-year, $10MM contract (or near it), which would allow them to optimize their salary cap this offseason while also establishing a multi-year commitment.

Maple Leafs, Matthew Knies Made Progress On Extension Talks In-Season

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The Maple Leafs don’t expect many hiccups getting a contract for pending restricted free agent winger Matthew Knies across the finish line this offseason. On today’s 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the two sides had preliminary talks around the trade deadline and the Leafs “know what a deal would look like.”

Any wiggle room remaining in talks is likely concerned with contract length, not annual compensation. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period relayed last month that the Leafs were pushing for a long-term deal while Knies’ camp was going for more of a three-to-five-year bridge agreement.

AFP Analytics projects a short-term agreement for Knies to come in at two years for $4.2MM annually, while a long-term agreement is projected to cost the Leafs roughly $7.25MM per year for seven years. The end result will presumably come closer to the latter number, possibly with a similar AAV for a year or two less than AFP’s projection.

Knies enters his first round of non-entry-level contract negotiations after a breakout sophomore campaign. In a consistent first-line role with Auston Matthews, the 22-year-old finished fifth on the team in scoring with 58 points (29 G, 29 A) in 78 games and saw over 18 minutes of ice time per game. His 182 hits finished third on the team and were second among forwards behind fourth-line winger Steven Lorentz.

Some have posited that, on the heels of that performance, Knies would be one of the top offer sheet targets this summer, especially since he doesn’t have arbitration eligibility to fall back on. It’s looking unlikely he’ll reach that stage, though. With Mitch Marner expected to test the UFA market, they’re not going to need to set aside cap space for a mega-extension. They’re also likely aware of what it will take to get an extension across the finish line with pending UFA center John Tavares. With significantly increased clarity on next season’s financial picture compared to a few months ago, they’ll presumably prioritize a Knies extension before he becomes eligible to sign offer sheets after officially becoming an RFA on July 1.

Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies To Play Game 7

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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.

Atlantic Notes: Bruins, Power, Knies, McCabe, Thompson

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To the surprise of many, don’t expect any changes to the Boston Bruins’ front office this summer. According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the Bruins will retain President Cam Neely and General Manager Don Sweeney to invent the next iteration of Boston’s roster.

It’ll be the first time Sweeney has had to engage in a retool during his tenure as General Manager. Sweeney took over as the team’s top decision-maker in 2015-16. He manufactured the roster that took the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 and the team that set the single-season win record in 2022-23.

Unfortunately, aside from their loss to the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Boston hasn’t appeared in the Eastern Conference Final in any other year under Sweeney’s regime. The Bruins have fallen to last place in the Eastern Conference since selling off at the trade deadline in March, while being projected to have a top-five pick since selecting Tyler Seguin second-overall in the 2010 NHL Draft.

Other notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • If the 2024-25 season couldn’t get any worse for the Buffalo Sabres, one of their top defenseman could be out longer-term with a leg injury. Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reported that defenseman Owen Power has a serious injury and may require surgery this summer. The injury in question took place in the Sabres’ second-to-last game against the Florida Panthers when Florida forward Carter Verhaeghe awkwardly fell on his leg.
  • In addition to their upcoming attempt to win the 14th Stanley Cup championship in franchise history, one of the main storylines off the ice for the Toronto Maple Leafs is their contract negotiations with forward Matthew Knies. According to a new report from The Fourth Period, there is no worry from either side that a new deal won’t be agreed upon, but there is a lengthy gap in the expected length of his next contract. The report indicates that the Maple Leafs prefer a six-to-eight-year deal, while Knies’ camp prefers a three-to-five-year agreement. Given that only a one-year gap exists between Toronto’s low end and Knies’s high end, it should make for a reasonable compromise between the sides. 
  • Unfortunately, there’s some negative news for the Maple Leafs as they prepare for a lengthy post-season. Earlier today, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox reported that there’s no guarantee defenseman Jake McCabe will be available for the team in their Round One matchup. McCabe hasn’t played since early April due to an undisclosed injury and would be a major missing piece for Toronto’s blue line in the playoffs. The 12-year veteran is second on the team in blocked shots (135) and seventh in expected +/- (6.6) through 66 games played.
  • For the first time in five years, Sabres forward Tage Thompson will play for Team USA in the World Championships (Twitter Link). After being excluded from the United States’ Four Nations Face-Off roster in February, this strikes as a move for Thompson to raise his Olympic profile for next season. He scored one goal and five points in eight games during his last appearance in the offseason tournament in 2021.

Atlantic Notes: Knies, Evans, Pinto, Bernard-Docker

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While the Maple Leafs have two prominent pending unrestricted free agents in Mitch Marner and John Tavares, they also have a notable pending restricted free agent in winger Matthew Knies.  At times, it’s believed the two sides have talked about an extension but the 22-year-old told Daily Faceoff’s Jonny Lazarus that he expects a new deal will be worked out in the offseason.  Knies has already passed his rookie-season totals in goals (22) and points (38) and has cemented himself as a fixture in Toronto’s top six.  He’s the type of player they’d undoubtedly like to sign to a long-term contract but what happens with Marner and Tavares could ultimately dictate if they can afford to do that or if they’ll have to pursue a short-term bridge deal instead.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • The Maple Leafs are among the teams with strong interest in Canadiens center Jake Evans, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period (Twitter link). Evans is on pace for a career year offensively and has 11 goals and 26 assists through 59 games.  He’s also the most-used forward shorthanded in the league while being a little above average at the faceoff dot and it’s his defensive play that will have teams interested in adding him over the coming days.  With a $1.7MM cap charge, he’d be easier for Toronto to fit into their current cap structure compared to some of the more prominent but pricier middlemen potentially available.
  • Senators center Shane Pinto told reporters including Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link) that he will return to the lineup tonight against San Jose. He had missed the last four weeks due to an upper-body injury.  The 24-year-old has had a bit of an up-and-down season but has still managed to put up 11 goals and 11 assists through 46 games, numbers that are a bit off last year’s pace when he had 27 points in 41 contests.
  • Still with the Senators, Garrioch reported earlier this week that the team has made defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker available and they are hoping to add a prospect in return. The 24-year-old has been limited to only 25 games this season between injuries and being scratched while he’s logging just over 13 minutes a night.  He’s waiver-eligible and it seems unlikely he’d pass through unclaimed so Ottawa’s intention appears to be to try to flip Bernard-Docker for some sort of tangible value beyond clearing up $805K in cap room.  Garrioch suggests that the Predators might be one of the teams interested in the blueliner’s services.

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