The Toronto Maple Leafs need more production from Matthew Knies.
Following the Maple Leafs 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday, head coach Craig Berube spoke to reporters and was asked about what he’s seen from Knies lately.
“Well, I think since he’s come back, he’s not quite where he was at, or the level he was at. We need to get him there,” Berube said. “You know I think the effort is there, it’s the little things that he could do better, and clean up, and we have to get him back to the level he was at before he was out.”
Knies played 17:16 against the Capitals, recorded one shot on goal, one blocked shot, one hit, and was a -2 plus/minus rating. Since returning from injury Nov.30, after missing two games, Knies has just seven points in 14 games, including just one assist in his last six games. Regardless if Auston Matthews is on the shelve or not, the Maple Leafs need Knies to be a game-changer and carry the load when it comes to the team’s secondary scoring.
Knies is at his best when he’s using his size and his speed to his advantage, and is an absolute workhorse when it comes to his compete level. Win battles, lay the body when the opportunity presents itself, and find the front of the net. Knies has the ability to annoy teams on the forecheck and retrieve pucks for his linemates, and he also has many tools on the defensive side of the puck, which include his smarts and quick stick, but unfortunately recently, and especially against the Capitals, that wasn’t on display at all.
On Nic Dowd’s eventual game-winning goal, Knies had a chance to get the puck out of the zone and it was an awful attempt:
Nic Dowd regains the lead for Washington pic.twitter.com/YvQSCtziOT
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 29, 2024
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At the end of the day, the Maple Leafs need more from Knies. He’s in a slump right now on both sides of the puck, and hasn’t been a ‘plus’ player throughout his last 13 games. It’s going to be important for Berube and the coaching staff to push the right buttons heading into 2025.