Matthew Knies on Auston Matthews' Rise: 'I Knew Him Before All the Hype'
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies is pretty comfortable alongside Auston Matthews on the top line, but he already had an idea of who he was before teaming.
Matthew Knies has grown into a unique two-way force that can score goals, give you assists, kill penalties and throw a ton of hits. He's been labeled a unicorn of sorts, and he's expected to be a huge part of the offense for the next half decade.
His tandem alongside Auston Matthews is going to get even more attention now that Mitch Marner is gone, and the expectations is that Knies will hit 30+ goals and cement himself as one of the elite power forwards in the league.
How Auston Matthews Inspired a Generation of Arizona Hockey Players
But Knies was no stranger to the Maple Leafs captain, as he revealed on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast that he was familiar with Matthews from his time in Arizona:
I kind of knew him before he got into the program and really started to take off. It was crazy to see.
I knew him a little bit before all the hype, before going first overall and joining the Leafs. So it was wild to see both sides of that; seeing him before everything took off, and then seeing him after.
I think it gave a lot of kids hope, just sharing the ice with him at a young age and seeing that he did the same drills as us.
It really showed us that we could make it too. And honestly, he was the nicest, most welcoming guy. Getting to know him at that age was huge, he had a big influence on all of us.
I knew him a little bit before all the hype, before going first overall and joining the Leafs. So it was wild to see both sides of that; seeing him before everything took off, and then seeing him after.
I think it gave a lot of kids hope, just sharing the ice with him at a young age and seeing that he did the same drills as us.
It really showed us that we could make it too. And honestly, he was the nicest, most welcoming guy. Getting to know him at that age was huge, he had a big influence on all of us.
Matthews spent 2011-2013 in Arizona as part of both the NAPHL 14U League as well as the 16U AAA Squad; the former being in Phoenix.
While Knies would have been under 10 years old at the time, the fact that someone so special in Matthews would welcome the younger kids alongside him shows that he's always had that captain intangible.
You also have both the Tkachuk Brothers, Josh Doan, and Tage Thompson; all NHL players and stars, all with an Arizona hometown connection. For a place so synonymous with the desert; there's some true ice hockey talent.
The Full-Circle Journey Bringing Matthews and Knies Together in Toronto
So it's quite poetic then that not only were the Maple Leafs able to draft Matthews with the first overall pick (a pick that some debate to this day if Toronto deserved it), but were able to have Knies fall into their lap at 53rd overall.
It wasn't that Knies just was a solid player who middled in the top-nine, with first line potential. No, he took the reins alongside his inspiration and ran with it.
Their chemistry is undeniable, and the fact that Knies appreciated Matthews all those years ago is showing; he wants to thank his captain for helping him get here and what better way than to dominate alongside him.
Knies, 23, had 58 points in 78 games last season (29 goals, 29 assists) while also adding 182 hits; being one of only three players in 2024-25 to have 25+ goals and 150+ hits.
The bond between Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews stretches back way further than anyone expected, and there's a lot to be excited for when it comes to their future together.
If the Maple Leafs can end up finding some magic in a bottle, then they could find themselves finishing the year with a storybook ending.
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