Matthew Knies has been an emerging young talent for years in Toronto, and in 2024/25, it appears he’s looking to make a big name for himself on the top line.
Once again, the Toronto Maple Leafs come into this season full of expectations, and after naming Auston Matthews captain, it’s clear that Craig Berube is willing to shake things up to make it happen. One thing he has seemingly already done is change the top line, as the reported group going forward will be Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, bringing back the pair of stars alongside one of the teams most promising young players.
For the 21-year old Knies, it’s the perfect opportunity to cement himself as a star of the future in Toronto, and after it was revealed he’d be alongside the long-time duo of Matthews and Marner, he made his biggest goal clear this season.
“I’m going to work my tail off to stay there and support them.”
Knies revealed that playing alongside those two stars is a ‘privilege’, but after tallying 15 goals a season ago in his first extended run in the NHL, it’s clear that he’s earned the spot and could be a major help for Marner and Matthews moving forward. In practice, he’s already working alongside the two, and from early video footage, it looks like he will fit right in with a very talented group as the team look to establish their lines early in camp.
With Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten also pushing for roles in Toronto this season, it’s clear that a youth movement could be coming with the Maple Leafs, but with Knies looking to build on a 35 point campaign from a year ago, he’s still the player with the biggest potential on the team as Berube looks to get him going at a high level in the NHL. It’s unclear if he is the answer, as injuries and inconsistencies often change how lines are put together, but if he builds on that success, we could be looking at one of the best lines in the league this season.
