Why Blue Jackets' Matthew Knies Could Bounce Back vs. Maple Leafs

The Columbus Blue Jackets are set to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.

This is certainly a game to watch, as the Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs, of course, made a blockbuster trade right before the start of the season. Now, Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko are set to face off against their old teams.

Knies is entering this game in the middle of a cold streak. After starting the season with two goals and two assists in his first two games, he has gone five straight games without a point. Thus, the Blue Jackets forward is due for a bounce-back game, and it would not be surprising if it happens against the Maple Leafs.

First, Knies is simply too good of a player to continue to struggle like this offensively. He showed this last season, as he posted 23 goals and a career-high 66 points in 79 games for the Maple Leafs. This was after he scored a career-high 29 goals and recorded 58 points in 78 games for Toronto in 2024-25. With past numbers like these, it would not be surprising if he gets his offense going again. 

It would also make for a good story if Knies broke the ice against his former teams. Sometimes players have big games when they play their former clubs, and Knies should be extra motivated after being traded by Toronto. Thus, he will be a player to watch very closely on Tuesday night.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if Knies can heat back up against the Maple Leafs. The Blue Jackets could certainly use it, as they have lost three out of their last four games.