Matthew Knies Skates on Maple Leafs' Third Line at Practice, Signaling Possible Playoffs Debut for Game 2
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Matthew Knies skated on a line with Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari at practice on Wednesday. Head coach Sheldon Keefe was noncommittal about the forward making his Stanley Cup playoffs debut on Thursday.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies skated on a line with Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari at practice and it’s probable that the 20-year-old could make his Stanley Cup playoffs debut when Toronto hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 of their first-round series on Thursday.
But head coach Sheldon Keefe cautioned that he hasn’t made any final decisions yet.
"I wouldn't read too much into what we looked like today," Keefe said.
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Knies was scratched for Toronto's 7-3 series-opening loss to the Lightning on Tuesday. The door swung wide open for Toronto's 2021 second-round draft pick to get into a game when Michael Bunting received a match penalty for an illegal check to the head of Tampa defenseman Erik Cernak.
Even with Bunting potentially not available for Game 2, Toronto could decide to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, something they did on a semi-regular basis after the trade deadline.
But if Knies gets in, it'll shake up the dynamic of the club's bottom-six forward group.
"We brought him in for a reason and gave him the games we gave him for a reason because I thought he'd be a good option for us if needed," Keefe said of Knies. "Today in practice we tried to get him some proper reps and he really hasn't had that this week."
One day after his University of Minnesota Golden Gophers fell to the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the NCAA Frozen Four final, Knies signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs. He made his NHL debut on Apr. 10 against the Florida Panthers and played three games in four nights to end the regular season.
During his brief regular-season experience, Knies didn't get into a full practice with the club. By the time he got that chance, he was scratched and skating with extra forwards.
But all signs point to Knies getting into some postseason action, something he's waited patiently for.
"It's every kid's dream to play in the playoffs and play for a Stanley Cup," Knies said. "I'd be pumped super stoked to be a part of it."
The Maple Leafs trail the Lightning 1-0 in their first-round, best-of-seven playoff series.
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