{"id":210564,"date":"2025-09-08T15:56:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T15:56:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/210564\/"},"modified":"2025-09-08T15:56:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T15:56:14","slug":"leafs-matthew-knies-wont-shy-away-from-the-spotlight-im-playing-for-the-whole-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/210564\/","title":{"rendered":"Leafs\u2019 Matthew Knies won\u2019t shy away from the spotlight: \u2018I\u2019m playing for the whole city\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One by one, an intimate group put down their cutlery and leaned in to hear an emerging NHL star speak in unfamiliar surroundings.<\/p>\n<p>Matthew Knies pulled his shoulder-length hair away from his face and flashed a knowing grin. He raised his voice above the clatter, and it quickly became clear: the 22-year-old would show no fear delivering his first-ever best man speech.<\/p>\n<p>Knies was speaking before the wedding of close friend Grant Cruikshank. Cruikshank was a senior at the University of Minnesota when he met Knies, who was then a freshman. They formed a bond. Many of Cruikshank\u2019s friends at his summer wedding were much older than Knies. That didn\u2019t matter as Knies spoke with the confidence and ease of someone far older.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was pretty easy for me to write, including the sentimental stuff. I think the hardest part was writing jokes that everyone\u2019s going to laugh at or everyone\u2019s going to understand,\u201d Knies said, pausing for dramatic effect. \u201cAnd yeah, I got the crowd laughing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The speech was a highlight of the Maple Leafs\u2019 winger\u2019s summer. It was another example of Knies taking the reins in a new way. And it was preparation that could serve him well, entering his most important Leafs season.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019d have to go back to the 2019-20 season, when Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner were 22, for the last time the Leafs relied on a 22-year-old as much as they will rely on Knies this season. But Marner is no longer a Leaf. Knies is now one of just two assumed top-line Leafs. His six-year extension was the longest the Leafs handed out this summer.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">SIX MORE YEARS OF MATTHEW KNIES! \ud83d\udd39 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bnJsk52zNn\">pic.twitter.com\/bnJsk52zNn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MapleLeafs\/status\/1940035304892555287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">July 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Only 22 but with the need for offence and a dressing room voice having increased with Marner\u2019s departure, Knies is now an undeniable piece of the team\u2019s core. In just his third full season, he could take new ownership over the Leafs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone\u2019s always going to tell you the clich\u00e9 that pressure is a privilege and stuff. But I think it\u2019s honestly so much fun that there\u2019s so many people so invested in our group. I\u2019d be upset with fans if they weren\u2019t unhappy with my game if I wasn\u2019t playing well,\u201d Knies told The Athletic in a lengthy offseason conversation.<\/p>\n<p>Knies\u2019 two biggest fans might just be Craig Berube and Brad Treliving. It\u2019s not a stretch to suggest the pair want the Leafs to play \u2014 and act \u2014 like Knies does: Heavy. Hard. Free of pretense.<\/p>\n<p>And if Berube, Treliving and the Leafs are going to rely heavily on their power forward this season, this summer reinforced that he\u2019s ready to take on the responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want that feeling that I\u2019m playing for the whole city,\u201d Knies said. \u201cI don\u2019t really look at it as something that can tear me down. It\u2019s something that is going to make me better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This summer, Knies hardly left Minnesota. One of his most notable trips was to Ottawa for the 2025 PWHL Draft. His girlfriend, whom he met in Minnesota, Ella Huber, was selected in the second round by the Boston Fleet.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of heading back to his Arizona home, Knies rented a house with three of his former University of Minnesota teammates: Cruikshank, along with Anaheim Ducks defenceman Jackson LaCombe and St. Louis Blues forward prospect Jimmy Snuggerud.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s grown a distaste for the summer heat in Arizona. But more importantly, living with hockey players meant he could focus on the upcoming season.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe spent 24 hours out of the day together,\u201d Knies said. \u201cAnd we live and breathe hockey. We all push each other. It was a perfect situation for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The added responsibility Knies took on came in the form of his new(ish) chocolate doodle, Zoey. Knies got his first dog on his own toward the end of last season.<\/p>\n<p>This year, as Knies steps more into the spotlight, Leafs fans could learn more about the personality behind the player. His life is painted with serious shades of his teammate, William Nylander. He lives drama-free. Eager to shrug off troubles and get on with it. In just his second full NHL season, Knies wasn\u2019t afraid to call out the Leafs as \u201ca little bit soft\u201d after an April loss to the Florida Panthers.<\/p>\n<p>His assessment turned out to be prescient.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have to be very modest but also not say what everyone wants to hear, too, but say what we truly believe,\u201d Knies said of dealing with heightened media attention in Toronto.<\/p>\n<p>But when the cameras are on, and even more when they\u2019re not, Knies will always be just as eager to flash a 200-foot by 85-foot smile.<\/p>\n<p>If that all sounds a little unassuming, well, that\u2019s Knies. What, for example, was his big summer purchase after signing a $46.5 million contract?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA nice coffee machine for my girlfriend\u2019s lake house,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Noble enough. But \u2026 that\u2019s it?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have everything. Nice car, nice apartment. There\u2019s not much more a guy needs,\u201d Knies said.<\/p>\n<p>Crucially, Knies realized that what he needed this summer was ownership of his development.<\/p>\n<p>When he met the Leafs coaching staff in his exit meeting, he outlined where he thought he needed to improve: His wall play needed to be more precise. His puck touches in crucial areas need to come quicker. He wanted to become leaner and more agile.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to get as physically dominant as possible,\u201d Knies said.<\/p>\n<p>The conversation ended up being short. The Leafs agreed and came away seeing a player who knew exactly what the team wanted from him.<\/p>\n<p>And so this summer, Knies worked only sparingly with an on-ice trainer (former pro P.J. Atherton). He skated alongside his housemates and any other pros who would drop by the University of Minnesota. However, for the most part, Knies took it upon himself to improve largely on his own.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think that (the Leafs) kind of left it up to me on knowing what\u2019s best and what I should work on. I\u2019m glad they did, because I think it\u2019s really helped,\u201d Knies said. \u201cA lot of it this summer has just been myself doing my own drills. Now, having played for two seasons, I\u2019ve figured out what my game needs and where my game is not the strongest. So I think a lot of this stuff I take on myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26177875-scaled.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-6601845 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/USATSI_26177875-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>      Can Matthew Knies crack the U.S. men\u2019s Olympic team for Milano Cortina 2026? (John E. Sokolowski \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<p>Knies\u2019 summer was bolstered with an invitation to the United States men\u2019s Olympic team orientation camp in August.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just want to prove that I\u2019m a great teammate and people want to be around me,\u201d Knies said.<\/p>\n<p>He remains an outsider to crack the team. But Knies knows taking charge of his Leafs team this season could change his outlook come 2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know I\u2019ll have to have a really strong start to the season to make a good showing (and) earn myself a spot on that team. But I was excited to see that they see that my game can make an impact, and hopefully I can show that I deserve a spot for that team when it comes to February,\u201d Knies said.<\/p>\n<p>Knies was the fifth-youngest player of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6562802\/2025\/08\/19\/team-usa-olympics-orientation-camp-roster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">44 NHLers invited to the U.S. camp<\/a>. The invite was another sign of his rapid progression away from being a na\u00efve NHL rookie.<\/p>\n<p>There was a time early in Knies\u2019 career that he treaded carefully. He lived with then-Leafs captain John Tavares through his rookie campaign as he learned the ropes of the NHL life. His diet and off-ice habits were flipped on their head. Knies\u2019 dressing room seat was in the far corner of the action as he observed more than interacted.<\/p>\n<p>That time is over.<\/p>\n<p>As this past season wore on, Knies became more comfortable with the pressure of being an important piece of the Leafs. He was further thrust into the role when Marner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt feels really weird, to be honest,\u201d Knies said of Marner\u2019s departure. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to picture him in a different jersey.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yet Marner\u2019s signing with the Golden Knights led Knies to an inevitable truth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was once I realized that at this level it\u2019s more of a business and you\u2019ve got to do what\u2019s best for yourself and your family. I hope he did that. I hope he enjoys himself and still has a lot of success because I think he meant a lot to our team and obviously (to) me. It just feels awkward,\u201d Knies said.<\/p>\n<p>Marner\u2019s departure means there is more room in the spotlight in Toronto. That\u2019s where Knies wants to be.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have to perform better and take on a little bit more ice time or take on a bigger role. If that\u2019s what\u2019s needed and expected, then you know I\u2019m going to be ready for it and hopefully successful in those areas,\u201d Knies said.<\/p>\n<p>With added experience, Knies\u2019 time on both the power play and penalty kill this season could increase. Plus, there\u2019s the not-so-small issue of one of the NHL\u2019s perennial point producers walking out the door: Knies, along with the Leafs\u2019 other elite stars, must balance Berube\u2019s need for physicality with finding the back of the net.<\/p>\n<p>What will success look like for Knies?<\/p>\n<p>Crossing the 30-goal plateau and adding more playmaking is a start. He\u2019ll have to avoid midseason slumps, too. And that\u2019s all just the precursor to what he hopes is a lengthy playoff run.<\/p>\n<p>This summer reminded Knies that he doesn\u2019t want to run from what he\u2019s become with the Leafs: a face of the team. What could define this season for the team\u2019s next great hope is how he handles the lights shining brighter on him than they ever have.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think that there\u2019s anything that prepares you for it. I want to say it comes with experience. I think the first time I showed up at development camp my first year, there\u2019s 15 cameras in your face, you\u2019re thrown into the fire. You\u2019ve just got to be honest and stay level-headed and humble,\u201d Knies said.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">(Top photo: Kim Klement Neitzel \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One by one, an intimate group put down their cutlery and leaned in to hear an emerging NHL&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":210565,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[293,62,1304,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-210564","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nhl","8":"tag-nhl","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-toronto-maple-leafs","11":"tag-united-states","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=210564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/210565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=210564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=210564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=210564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}