Matthew Knies Modelling His Net-Front Game After Former Maple Leafs Fan Favourite
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro - Imagn Images
Matthew Knies has modeled his game after former Leafs fan favourite Zach Hyman and that decision has helped influence Craig Berube's recent coaching tactics.
Heading into their tilt against the Tampa Bay Lighting, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcomed back Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies to their lineup and with their returns, head coach Craig Berube made a pretty significant change to his power play.
Berube initiated a 5-forward first power play unit with Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, and a part of his reasoning behind the change was how Knies has decided to model his game after Zach Hyman.
Knies has been studying Hyman's game, especially his net-front work, and wanted to do his part to give the Maple Leafs a boost. The 6'3 forward has all the makings of becoming a serious net-front presence and his head coach is all for it.
"He's that type of guy, and we love his size and strength there. Big body, and he has a good stick. Tipping pucks in and things like that. He's only going to get better over time and become a real good net-front guy on that power play."
As for what Knies is actually learning from Hyman, he kept is short and simple; get to the net and use his body to his advantage.
"He can score goals around the net. I think kind of just like his footwork and his stick placement. Just little things like that could help my game. Obviously, I play net front on a power play and there most of the game, so just trying to make myself available and get my stick open to kind of tap those in. It's something I kind of need to get a better grip on."
Since joining the Edmonton Oilers, Hyman has become a prolific goal scorer with 27 goals in 2021-22, 36 goals the following season, and then a career-high 54 goals last year. Hyman had also tallied 30 power play goals between 2022-23 and 2023-24.
There's certainly a lot that Knies can learn from Hyman, and if he can translate that onto the ice for the Maple Leafs, their power play can once again join the upper echelon of the league's PP rankings. They currently sit 17th in the NHL.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 1 | 2249 ANSWERS Matthew Knies Modelling His Net-Front Game After Former Maple Leafs Fan Favourite With the Maple Leafs currently ranked 17th in the league, will their power play jump back into the top-5 this year? | ||
| Yes | 1492 | 66.3 % |
| No | 757 | 33.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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