Matthew Knies
{{Short description|American ice hockey player (born 2002)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| name = Matthew Knies
| image = Toronto Maple Leafs at Seattle Kraken - 2024-01-21 - Oliver Bjorkstrand and Matthew Knies (53480826540).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Knies (right) chasing down Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Seattle Kraken in 2024
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|10|17}}
| birth_place = Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 217
| position = Forward
| shoots = Left
| league = NHL
| team = Toronto Maple Leafs
| ntl_team = USA
| draft = 57th overall
| draft_year = 2021
| draft_team = Toronto Maple Leafs
| career_start = 2023
}}
Matthew Knies ({{IPAc-en|n|aɪ|z}} {{respell|NYZE}};[https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-sign-forward-matthew-knies-1.6805929 "Maple Leafs sign forward Matthew Knies to 3-year, entry-level contract," The Canadian Press, Sunday, April 9, 2023.] Retrieved December 17, 2023. born October 17, 2002) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Knies was drafted 57th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career
=Junior=
Knies played two full seasons for the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League (USHL), where he recorded 31 goals and 56 assists in 90 games. Knies was drafted in the second round, 57th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.{{cite web|url=https://theathletic.com/3123028/2022/02/11/olympics-could-be-a-springboard-to-pro-hockey-for-maple-leafs-prospect-matthew-knies/ |title=Olympics could be a springboard to pro hockey for Maple Leafs prospect Matthew Knies |website=The Athletic |first=Joshua |last=Kloke |date=February 11, 2022 |access-date=February 22, 2022}}
=College=
Beginning his collegiate career, Knies first played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the 2021–22 season.{{cite web |url=https://gophersports.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/matthew-knies/19817 |title=Matthew Knies Bio |website=gophersports.com |access-date=February 22, 2022}} During his freshman season, he ranked tied for third on the team, and first among freshman, with 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points in 29 games. Following an outstanding season, he was a unanimous pick for the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, and was named a finalist for Big Ten Freshman of the Year.{{cite web |url=https://gophersports.com/news/2022/3/15/mens-hockey-meyers-faber-motzko-lead-u-big-ten-honorees.aspx |title=Meyers, Faber, Motzko Lead 'U' Big Ten Honorees |website=gophersports.com |date=March 15, 2022 |access-date=March 15, 2022}}
The 2022–23 season saw further success for Knies, notably playing on a top line with fellow NHL prospects Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud that was considered one of the best in college ice hockey. He scored 21 goals and 21 assists in 40 games.{{cite web |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/icehockey-men/article/2023-03-30/breaking-down-top-3-finalists-2023-hobey-baker-award |title=Breaking down the top-3 finalists for the 2023 Hobey Baker Award |last=Donnelly |first=Patrick |website=NCAA |date=March 30, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://gophersports.com/news/2023/4/9/mens-hockey-knies-off-to-toronto-after-signing-nhl-deal |title=Knies off to Toronto after Signing NHL Deal |website=gophersports.com |date=April 9, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023}} He won the Big Ten Player of the Year award, and was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in American college ice hockey, with Cooley also one of the three.{{Cite web|title=Gophers score a hat trick in Big Ten hockey awards, winning three of five individual honors|url=https://www.startribune.com/gophers-mens-hockey-big-ten-awards-matthew-knies-bob-motzko-brock-faber/600258767/ |last=Johnson |first=Randy |newspaper=Star Tribune |date=March 14, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 }}{{cite web|url=https://theathletic.com/4365426/2023/03/30/hobey-baker-finalists-matthew-knies-logan-cooley-adam-fantilli/ |title=Matthew Knies, Logan Cooley, Adam Fantilli named 2023 Hobey Baker Award finalists |website=The Athletic |date=March 30, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 }} The Golden Gophers reached the national championship game at the 2023 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament, but ultimately were defeated by the Quinnipiac Bobcats in overtime.{{cite web|url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/04/08/university-minnesota-gopher-hockey-ncaa-frozen-four |title=Gophers fall to Qunnipiac in OT at NCAA Frozen Four Championship |website=MPR News |date=April 8, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 }} Following the tournament, he decided to conclude his collegiate career, finishing with 36 goals and 39 assists in 73 career games.{{Cite web|title='Get that joy back': Matthew Knies makes meaningful Maple Leafs debut|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/get-that-joy-back-matthew-knies-makes-meaningful-maple-leafs-debut/ |last=Fox |first=Luke |website=Sportsnet |date=April 10, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 }}
=Professional=
On April 9, 2023, Knies signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs.{{cite web |title=Maple Leafs Sign Forward Matthew Knies To Three-year, Entry-level Contrac |url=https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-forward-matthew-knies-to-three-year-entry-level-contr-343326188 |website=NHL.com |access-date=September 11, 2023 |date=April 9, 2023}} Upon his arrival in Toronto, he was hosted by team captain John Tavares at his house.{{Cite web|title=Maple Leafs Captain John Tavares Opens Home to Rookie Matthew Knies During Playoff Run|url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/news/maple-leafs-captain-john-tavares-opens-home-to-rookie-matthew-knies |last=Alter |first=David |magazine=The Hockey News |date=April 16, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 }} Knies made his NHL debut on April 10, in a road game against the Florida Panthers. After playing in the final three games of the regular season, Knies continued with the team into the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. He notably had a primary assist on Tavares' series-clinching goal in Game 6 that saw the Maple Leafs win their first playoff series since 2004.{{Cite web|title=Maple Leafs end drought, Lightning's major playoff run with Game 6 win|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2023/04/29/nhl-playoffs-maple-leafs-oust-lightning-game-6/11748152002/ |last=Brehm |first=Mike |newspaper=USA Today |date=April 29, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023 }} The Maple Leafs faced the Panthers in the second round, and Knies scored his first career NHL goal against Sergei Bobrovsky in the opening game of the series on May 2.{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/verhaeghe-gives-panthers-3-2-lead-over-leafs-after-two-periods-knies-gets-first-nhl-goal-1.1955423 |title=Verhaeghe gives Panthers 3-2 lead over Leafs after two periods; Knies gets first NHL goal |website=The Sports Network |date=May 2, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2023}} He exited Game 2 after being concussed by Panthers forward Sam Bennett, and it was subsequently announced that he would miss at least the next two games.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-knies-sidelined-at-least-two-games-with-concussion/ |title=Maple Leafs' Knies sidelined at least two games with concussion |last=Fox |first=Luke |website=Sportsnet |date=May 5, 2023 |access-date=May 5, 2023}} On December 16, 2023, Knies achieved a Gordie Howe hat trick in a 7–0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. He opened the scoring and fought John Ludvig within the game's first five minutes and assisted on Max Domi's goal in the second period.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/i-blacked-out-knies-gordie-howe-hat-trick-sets-tone-for-maple-leafs-rout/ |title=‘I blacked out’: Knies’ Gordie Howe hat trick sets tone for Maple Leafs rout |website=Sportsnet |first=Luke |last=Fox |date=December 17, 2023 |access-date=December 17, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/max-domis-three-points-and-matthew-knies-first-career-gordie-howe-hat-trick-propel-maple-leafs-over-penguins |title=Max Domi's Three-Points and Matthew Knies' First-Career Gordie Howe Hat-Trick Propel Maple Leafs over Penguins |work=The Hockey News |first=Nick |last=Barden |date=December 16, 2023 |access-date=December 17, 2023}}
On January 4, 2025, Knies recorded his first career hat-trick in a game against the Boston Bruins.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/boston-bruins-toronto-maple-leafs-game-recap-january-4 |title=Knies has hat trick, 5 points, Maple Leafs hold off Bruins |website=NHL.com |first=Dave |last=McCarthy |date=January 4, 2025 |access-date=January 4, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/matthew-knies-first-nhl-hat-trick-sends-maple-leafs-to-win-over-bruins |title=Matthew Knies' first NHL hat trick sends Maple Leafs to win over Bruins |newspaper=Toronto Sun |first=Terry |last=Koshan |date=January 4, 2025 |access-date=January 4, 2025}}
International play
Knies represented the United States at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he appeared in one game before the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |url=https://gophersports.com/news/2021/12/14/mens-hockey-gophers-trio-named-to-us-wjc-roster.aspx |title=Gophers Trio Named to U.S. WJC Roster |website=gophersports.com |date=December 14, 2021 |access-date=February 22, 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/wm20/news/31434/world_juniors_cancelled |title=World Juniors cancelled |website=IIHF.com |first=Adam |last=Steiss |date=December 29, 2021 |access-date=February 22, 2022}}
On January 13, 2022, Knies was named to the United States men's national ice hockey team's roster to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics.{{cite web |url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1203160 |title=2022 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team Unveiled |website=teamusa.com |date=January 13, 2022 |access-date=February 22, 2022}}
Personal life
Knies was born to Miroslav and Michaela Knies, who immigrated to the United States from Slovakia before his birth. He has an older brother, Phillip, who played ice hockey for Miami University and Bentley University. Knies is fluent in Slovak, which he uses to speak to his grandparents. Growing up in Arizona, he was a fan of the Arizona Coyotes.{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Megan |title=Big body, big start: Freshman Matthew Knies making impact on Gophers hockey right away |url=https://www.startribune.com/gophers-hockeymatthew-kries-freshman-big-impact-slovakia-big-ten-opener-notre-dame/600111077/ |date=October 29, 2021 |access-date=May 3, 2023 |newspaper=Star Tribune}}{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Tom |date=March 4, 202 |title=Following His Brother's Footsteps, Matthew Knies Is Also Thriving From Phoenix to the USHL |url=https://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1092279-following-his-brother-s-footsteps-matthew-knies-is-also-thriving-from-phoenix-to-the-ushl |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=USA Hockey}}{{Cite web |title=Phil Knies at eliteprospects.com |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/247910/phil-knies |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=eliteprospects.com}}
Career statistics
=Regular season and playoffs=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em;" | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||
| 2018–19
| USHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2019–20 | Tri-City Storm | USHL | 44 | 14 | 31 | 45 | 12
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21
| Tri-City Storm | USHL | 44 | 17 | 25 | 42 | 24
| 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2021–22 | B1G | 33 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 31
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23
| University of Minnesota | B1G | 40 | 21 | 21 | 42 | 29
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2022–23 | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2
| 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2023–24
| Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 80 | 15 | 20 | 35 | 45
| 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"=
! colspan="3"|NHL totals ! 83 !! 15 !! 21 !! 36 !! 47 ! 14 !! 3 !! 4 !! 7 !! 6 |
=International=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em;" | ||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="98" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||
| 2022
| OG | 5th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2022 | WJC | 5th | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="4"|Junior totals ! 5 !! 0 !! 3 !! 3 !! 0 | ||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="4"|Senior totals ! 4 !! 1 !! 1 !! 2 !! 2 |
Awards and honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Ice hockey stats}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box | before = Ben Meyers | title = Big Ten Player of the Year | years = 2022–23 | after = Gavin Brindley}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knies, Matthew}}
Category:AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans
Category:American people of Slovak descent
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players for the United States
Category:Sportspeople from Phoenix, Arizona
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players