Jim Hiller didn’t exactly hand Matthew Knies a glowing review after another uneven preseason outing, but the Maple Leafs coach also wasn’t ready to sound the alarm.
After Toronto’s split-squad action against Ottawa, Hiller said Knies had taken a step in the right direction, even if the winger still wasn’t forcing the issue.
“I thought he was better tonight. He wasn't that dangerous.
I think he only ended up with one shot on goal. Took one to the net.
So I think this has been okay. I wouldn't say strongly one way or the other.
I think there's more there for sure.”
That was the tone around Knies following a preseason stretch that has been quiet by any measure. Through the early going, he has only two shots, three hits, and a minus-2, which stands out for a player expected to bring a heavier presence and more impact around the puck.
Toronto’s second split-squad game against the Senators produced a pair of wins, with the A squad rolling to a 6-1 result in Toronto and the B squad grinding out a 4-2 victory. Gavin McKenna picked up his first point as a Maple Leaf, and Auston Matthews returned looking sharp. But Knies was the name that drew attention for a different reason.
The most notable wrinkle came with Hiller’s willingness to shuffle things quickly. After just five shifts, he moved Knies out and gave McKenna a chance, a switch that showed how little patience there is for passengers this early. McKenna kept making a case with the way he handled the puck, and Hiller leaned into that energy.
Knies has also become a talking point because of where he fits in the lineup and whether he truly clicks with Matthews. Hiller has already put him back in the mix, so this isn’t some permanent verdict. Still, the optics haven’t been great for a player coming off a career year and trying to establish himself at an even higher level.
There’s also the reality that Toronto is asking him to adjust to a new system, one that looks different from what he had under Craig Berube. That can take time. But when an 18-year-old rookie is the one who jumps you after five shifts, it’s hard to ignore what that says about the competition around him.
Knies still has room to turn it around. He’ll need to, because the Leafs clearly want more than the quiet version they’ve seen so far.
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