The Toronto Maple Leafs may very well be and not using a top-line winger of their must-win matchup in opposition to the Florida Panthers on Sunday. Matthew Knies has been dubbed questionable with an undisclosed harm, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic, after taking part in simply 13 minutes in Friday night time’s win. Knies didn’t play within the last seven minutes of Sport 6 and gave the impression to be nursing his shoulder by way of his last few shifts.
Shedding Knies can be a big blow for the Maple Leafs on the worst time. The 22-year-old winger has locked in a task on Toronto’s high line and high powerplay unit over the yr’s second half. He’s tied for second on the staff with 5 targets and ranks third amongst Leafs forwards in common ice time in 12 video games this postseason. The efficiency has come on the heels of a breakout yr throughout the common season. Knies scored 58 factors, break up evenly, in 78 video games this season, whereas changing on 19.1 % of his pictures. He additionally ranked second amongst Toronto forwards with 182 hits. The efficiency was a significant stride ahead from the 15 targets and 35 factors he managed final yr, and earned Knies as a lot as 24 minutes of ice time by way of factors within the yr.
Filling Knies’ sneakers must be a bunch effort for Toronto. His absence would probably push Nicholas Robertson again into the staff’s bottom-six, after he served as a wholesome scratch for Sport 6, regardless of scoring the Leafs’ sole purpose in Sport 5. It’d additionally push Max Pacioretty additional up the lineup and into an upgraded powerplay function, rewarding his eight factors in 10 postseason appearances. However in a must-win recreation, boosting two slight-frame wingers probably wouldn’t make up for Knies’ imposing bodily presence. That might spark extra 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 technique and strategy with these strikes will make Knies’ match readiness one of many league’s high storylines as Monday’s decisive matchup looms.
