Knies took the ice with skating consultant Paul Matheson ahead of the club's morning skate on Sunday.
Matthew Knies appears to be improving from an upper-body injury he sustained earlier this week.
The Toronto Maple Leafs forward took the ice with skating consultant Paul Matheson ahead of the club's morning skate as they prepare to host the Utah Hockey Club,
Knies hit his head on the ice hard as he was hit by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud. The forward had not been on the ice but Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said the player had been improving.
The 22-year-old was placed on injured reserve and is ineligible to return until Nov. 30 when the club visits the Tampa Bay Lighting at the earliest.
The Leafs are experiencing a shortage of forwards, but Knies' return to the ice is a good sign. On Saturday, Auston Matthews returned to the ice for the first time in a week following a trip to Germany to seek additional assessment and treatment for an upper-body injury.
Knies departed the ice before the optional skate started, while Matthew skated with the club for the optional skate.
"They're feeling good, so it's a good sign," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said on Sunday.
Berube expects Matthews to join the club for practice on Tuesday before heading out to Florida for a two-game road trip. Both Matthews and the Leafs expressed optimism over the possibility of a return to the lineup against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.
David Kampf (lower body), Max Pacioretty (lower body), Max Domi (lower body), and Calle Jarnkrok (sports hernia) are all out.
With Knies out, Alex Nylander is set to make his Maple Leafs debut on Sunday. He signed a one-year, $775,000 contract after starting this season with the Toronto Marlies.
Knies has eight goals and four assists in 20 games, while Matthews is set to miss his eight consecutive game with an undisclosed upper-body injury. He has five goals and six assists in 13 games this season.