Leafs Alumni Shares What Impressed Him Most in Matthew Knies' Debut

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Aaron Itovitch
April 12, 2023 (10:10)

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Matthew Knies is now two games into what will hopefully be a long and prosperous NHL career.

A former Leaf has revealed what impressed him most.

Corrado Shares Thought on Knies Debut

Frank Corrado played 41 games with the Maple Leafs in the mid-2010s tank teams.

The team has certainly come a long way since Corrado was a leaf, and he is now a hockey commentator after retiring in the KHL last season.

Matthew Knies, the new shiny toy in Toronto, has been hyped up insanely high by fans, but in his two first NHL games he has looked good.

While many are quick to point out his 6'3" frame and it's effectiveness at fighting off opponents physically, Corrado saw things that impressed him even more:

"Good player, down low, below the goal line. Won some battles, used his body protect the puck. I liked all that, but, the thing that stuck out for me is that he's a player that can play through contact. That's a separator for me, literally and metaphorically. If you can find a way to play through some contact and create some separation for yourself - it's tight quarters down there. He was really good in that regard."

"As far as that being a separator metaphorically, that's something a coach can look at and say when you need a shift, a momentum building shift, that's a guy you put on the ice...to go chew up 25, 30 seconds...he can separate himself from other players that way. I thought Alexander Kerfoot actually had some chances because of Knies' ability win some puck battles on the wall or below the goal line."

This role of a 'separator' is incredibly useful in the NHL, as it allows more creative and lucrative chances.

Knies may not drive a line, but his complementary skills are fantastic.

There a big things to come for Matthew Knies!

As Read on Maple Leafs Daily -
Former Leaf reveals what stood out about Knies' game the most in his NHL debut