'I Don't Look At It That Way': Matthew Knies Isn't Thinking About Retribution On Maple Leafs In Tuesday's Game

The Toronto Maple Leafs have their hands full with the San Jose Sharks in town on Monday at home. But immediately after that, the Leafs are on the road for the second half of a back-to-back against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

For Columbus, their sights are on Tuesday's game against Toronto, as that is their next outing on the schedule. It's a highly anticipated matchup as it will be the first time Kirill Marchenko and Matthew Knies see their former clubs.

Knies, 24, was a big piece of the Leafs' roster, with first-line duties, at times on the top power-play unit, and scored 23 goals and 66 points in 79 contests last year for Toronto. 

In the end, Maple Leafs GM John Chayka made the decision to swap him and multiple other assets to bring in Marchenko.

Despite the circumstances of the situation and how Knies was dealt, he's not thinking about retribution against Toronto, or worried about proving to his former club what they might be missing in the aftermath of the deal.

"I don't necessarily look at it that way," Knies said on the Off The Roster podcast. "I wouldn't care what they would have to say about it or what they look at me like. I just want to be the best player I can be for these guys here and try and help this team win. I don't really want to look at it as a competition, I kind of just want to focus on winning games here and trying to help this team as much as possible."

Knies played a total of 247 games and scored 69 goals and 164 points across parts of four seasons. He also spent the entire training camp and pre-season with the Leafs before getting dealt.

Since joining the Blue Jackets just in time for game No. 1 of the regular season, Knies has scored two goals and four assists. He had a hot start, getting both those goals and one assist in his debut for Columbus, but hasn't found the back of the net since. He also hasn't produced a point following his second game with his new team.

The Jackets as a team are 3-4-0, earning themselves the second-last position in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference with only the Philadelphia Flyers below them.

Toronto and Columbus meet three times this season. The first meeting, coming on Tuesday, will be the only outing between the two teams to be at Nationwide Arena. After that, the Blue Jackets will visit the Maple Leafs on Nov. 21 and Feb. 8, giving Knies the opportunity to say a proper goodbye to his former teammates.

"It'll be nice to see those guys and just chat with them and talk to them," Knies said. "Because I didn't get to say many goodbyes, with just how fast everything happened. So it'll be nice to see their face again."

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