Matthew Knies’ 2025-26 season showed just how dangerous he can be when everything is clicking - and how quickly a lingering injury can change the shape of a year.
Through his first 22 games, Knies was tracking at a 97-point pace. He had 26 points in that stretch, including 14 in October alone, and looked like he was turning himself into one of the NHL’s most productive young power forwards. By season’s end, he still put together a career year with 66 points and 43 assists, but the numbers only tell part of the story.
The bigger twist came from the lower-body injury that slowed him down and eventually kept him out for three games. Knies later admitted he was dealing with the issue for the rest of the season, and it was obvious at times that he was playing through it. That makes the year even more impressive, because he was producing while clearly not at full strength.
The drop-off after that hot start was dramatic. A pace that would have put him comfortably at the top of Toronto’s scoring and tied him for ninth in the NHL with Leon Draisaitl gave way to a much quieter finish. There’s no guarantee he would have held that level all season - slumps happen, and Toronto had its own struggles - but the early production showed just how high the ceiling was.
Knies also had a bigger impact on the power play early on, even though he had only two goals at that stage. He scored two power-play goals in the first 11 games, then managed just four over his next 68 games. Toronto’s power-play issues were part of that, but the opportunity was there for more.
As the injury wore on, his game changed. He looked less assertive, a step behind at times, and less willing to throw his body around the way he normally does. When he needed to crash the net and play through contact, he wasn’t able to do it the same way while trying to protect his knee.
That dip in production eventually cost him his spot on the top line. Knies had just 24 shots in January, after putting up 28 in October and 30 in December.
He finished with only 30 shots combined between March and April, according to Hockey Reference. He wasn’t getting inside fast enough, and he wasn’t creating enough looks to keep scoring at the same rate, which opened the door for Bobby McMann.
McMann was streaky, but he showed real top-six scoring ability, and Toronto needed a finisher next to Matthews at that point.
Now the focus shifts to 2026-27, and Knies appears to be entering the season healthier and better prepared for the grind. Toronto’s new sport performance staff should help keep his knee as comfortable and strong as possible, and Knies is clearly energized by the additions the team has made, including Gavin McKenna.
If he can stay healthy and carry more of the pace he showed in the opening months of last season, 66 points could end up looking like a stepping stone rather than his ceiling.
The real question is whether Knies can get back to that pre-injury level - or whether he’ll remain effective, but still a step short of the star version he flashed in the first two months of 2025-26.
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For Toronto, the case is another reminder of how much attention followed the captains arrival and how long the aftershocks from that decision can linger. The court has not ruled yet, leaving one more off-ice storyline hanging over a player whose move to the Maple Leafs already reshaped the franchise and still draws scrutiny years later. [Read more 🡒]