The Toronto Maple Leafs could possibly be with no top-line winger of their must-win matchup towards the Florida Panthers on Sunday. Matthew Knies has been dubbed questionable with an undisclosed damage, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic, after taking part in simply 13 minutes in Friday night time’s win. Knies didn’t play within the ultimate seven minutes of Recreation 6 and appeared to be nursing his shoulder via his ultimate few shifts.
Dropping Knies could be a big blow for the Maple Leafs on the worst time. The 22-year-old winger has locked in a job on Toronto’s prime line and prime powerplay unit over the 12 months’s second half. He’s tied for second on the group with 5 targets and ranks third amongst Leafs forwards in common ice time in 12 video games this postseason. The efficiency has come on the heels of a breakout 12 months in the course of the common season. Knies scored 58 factors, cut up evenly, in 78 video games this season, whereas changing on 19.1 % of his photographs. He additionally ranked second amongst Toronto forwards with 182 hits. The efficiency was a serious stride ahead from the 15 targets and 35 factors he managed final 12 months, and earned Knies as a lot as 24 minutes of ice time via factors within the 12 months.
Filling Knies’ sneakers must be a bunch effort for Toronto. His absence would seemingly push Nicholas Robertson again into the group’s bottom-six, after he served as a wholesome scratch for Recreation 6, regardless of scoring the Leafs’ sole aim in Recreation 5. It’d additionally push Max Pacioretty additional up the lineup and into an upgraded powerplay position, rewarding his eight factors in 10 postseason appearances. However in a must-win sport, boosting two slight-frame wingers seemingly wouldn’t make up for Knies’ imposing bodily presence. That might spark extra ice time for a bruiser like Steven Lorentz, or push Toronto to lean heavier on the hard-nosed play of a star like William Nylander. The shift in technique and strategy with these strikes will make Knies’ match readiness one of many league’s prime storylines as Monday’s decisive matchup looms.
