Initially, there were concerns among Leafs fans that General Manager Kyle Dubas would be unable to sign Knies, who had an outstanding season at the University of Minnesota, scoring 21 goals and 21 assists in 40 games.
However, the 20-year-old impressed in his first two NHL games since signing his entry-level contract last week, already earning his first NHL point with an assist.
In fact, Knies has made such an impression that he has been slotted into the Leafs' top six for tonight's game against the New York Rangers, playing on the second line with Ryan O'Reilly and William Nylander.
With this lineup, the Leafs appear to have their strongest team in quite some time, and they are hopeful that they can overcome their past playoff struggles and make a serious run at the Stanley Cup.