Matthew Knies showing some extra snarl with the playoffs looming
On Saturday night, Maple Leafs rookie Matthew Knies found himself on a new line, away from his usual superstar linemmates Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Instead, Knies found himself on a new-look 3rd line with David Kämpf and Bobby McMann, a line that helped secure the Leafs' victory last night, contributing an important goal in a tight contest.
Knies was more tenacious than ever both with and without the puck. He was jockeying for position in front of Sam Montembeault on multiple offensive zone shifts and was not afraid get in the dirty areas while standing up for himself against the gritty veteran defenseman David Savard.
If Knies is able to continue contributing without Matthews and Marner, it will simply give Keefe more options down the stretch and in the playoffs. Also, with Knies playing a little lower down in the lineup, it could also create some mismatches for the opposition that the Leafs can exploit.
Seeing this added grit and feistiness from Knies is a welcomed sight as the playoffs approach. As a rookie, your first full season can be daunting and pressure-filled. To see Knies finally coming out of his shell and mixing it up a little post-whistle is just a sign of what is hopefully to come in the playoffs.
| POLL | ||
MARS 10 | 440 ANSWERS Matthew Knies showing some extra snarl with the playoffs looming Is the 3rd line the best spot for Matthew Knies in the playoffs? | ||
| Yes, he can do some damage there | 316 | 71.8 % |
| No, he should be in the top six | 124 | 28.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
