Matthews Knies' Status for Next Two Leafs Games Confirmed in Latest Report
Matthew Knies' status for the next two games has been revealed after he suffered an upper-body injury courtesy of Zach Whitecloud.
It's been a rough go for the Toronto Maple Leafs over the last several weeks, dealing with injuries to several of their key stars like Auston Matthews, Max Domi and Matthew Knies.
Speaking of Knies, there was a lot of concern for the young power forward that he suffered a potential concussion, but so far, no word on the extent of the injury as is the case with most of the other Leafs injuries.
But the team got a huge step forward as Knies was seen skating on Sunday ahead of Toronto's game against Utah, as TSN's Mark Masters reported on X.
What This Means For Matthew Knies
It means a couple of things for Knies. Firstly, it means first and foremost he's getting healthy and that's the main focus here. Knies is having a fantastic season so far and any derailment of that due to injuries is not good physically or mentally.
It also means that Matthew Knies will be getting back on track to be a part of Team USA for this year's 4 Nations Face-Off. He's been impressive this season and has turned a lot of heads, giving him a serious chance at making the team; an impressive feat in only his second full season.
With 8 goals already this season, Knies was on pace to smash the 15 goals he had last season, and looked like a poised veteran at times, not cracking under pressure and playing defense beyond his years.
It's a huge positive that Knies was seen skating, and in a full contact jersey as well. He's a huge part of the Maple Leafs offense and the team can't afford to lose another player for an extended period of time.
What This Means For The Maple Leafs
It means that they can breathe a little bit easier. Injuries are always concerning but concussions and head trauma are some of the scariest not only due to the immediate effects; but the long-term effects as well.
It also means that Toronto will still be without Knies for the next two games, as David Alter of The Hockey News points out. It's unfortunate they will be without their power forward for the next couple of games, but it seems Toronto can walk right into adversity and come out relatively unscathed.
But Toronto does get Knies back for the second leg of the Florida trip when they take on Tampa Bay next Saturday. The placement of Knies on the IR retroactive to Nov. 20 means that he won't be eligible to return for seven days; so even if he wanted to play on Wednesday he couldn't.
Toronto gets one of their brightest young players back at a time where they need as many reinforcements as possible as the Maple Leafs head into a tough December schedule; including 4 games in the first week of the month.
They will be facing weaker teams like Nashville, Chicago, and Pittsburgh however so it could end up working out somehow, and Toronto needs to pile on the momentum where they can.
FAQ: Matthew Knies Returns To The Ice
Q1: What happened to Matthew Knies?
A1: Matthew Knies was hit by Vegas Golden Knights player Zach Whitecloud in an arguably controversial body check. Knies left the game and did not return, leading to his stint on the IR. Knies was visibly shaken up on the play but did leave under his own power, which was a positive at the time.
Q2: When will Matthew Knies return to the Maple Leafs?
A2: Matthew Knies will more than likely return to the Maple Leafs for their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning next Saturday. It is not confirmed, but that is the next game Toronto plays after he is eligible to come off the IR, and has a good chance of being in the game if 100% healthy.
So in closing, Matthew Knies being back on the ice is great news for Maple Leafs fans, the team, but most importantly for Knies. It was a scary incident that happened to Knies, and everything seems to be okay for the forward, as he looks toward helping Toronto keep their momentum when he returns next week.
| POLL | ||
Will Matthew Knies return for the Tampa Bay game? | ||
