“It didn’t work for him in net this year,” Berube explained before a Dec. 30 game against the New Jersey Devils. “He has a good shot. We just moved him and JT and split them up. JT spent a lot of years playing in net, making plays from there and doing good things, so that was the reason for the move.”
Knies got off to a slow start compared to his own standards, while taking into account the fact that he is still not at his peak. In the new role in the power play, Knies is forced to read and react with quicker intuition, while operating as a playmaker from the mid-range. Berube’s ideal power play consists of Knies and John Tavares jamming home pucks from point-blank range, and the man advantage is now working to their strengths.
Knies spent the morning skate on the power play working from the bumper, and the Leafs ran a set play, although Domi denied that claim after the game. And this may count as a footnote: Knies scored a similar goal at 5-on-5 later in the game, cutting through the middle of the ice before dangling Senators goalie Leevi Merilainen for a 6-4 lead.
Very Knies!!!! 📽️: Sportnet | NHL
It was a sign of real poise after the first power play unit put the Leafs on the board. Matias Maccelli was added at the top and his controlled entries and patience with the puck are easy to spot. After briefly botching a submission, Maccelli teamed up with Tavares to win the puck and quickly get it to Auston Matthews. Matthews takes one look as William Nylander rushes to the net for a picturesque goal. This illustrated the kind of chemistry the Maple Leafs have sorely lacked all season, and Knies addressed this idea after the 7-5 win over the Senators.
“I mean, he’s obviously a great player. He’s really good in the bumper,” Maccelli told The Leafs Nation after the morning skate on Dec. 30. “He’s got a great shot. He finds the open ice there, he’s been really good, winning battles in the corner and getting the puck back on shots.”
The Steve Sullivan era is off to a flying start!!!! 📽️: Sportnet | NHL
WE LOVE POWERPLAY GOALS!!!!! 📽️: Sportnet | NHL
“We’re shooting the puck a little bit more,” Bobby McMann added after the game, turning in his best performance of the year while working on the team’s second power play unit. “At 5-on-5 we shoot a little bit more, and I think that translates into the power play a little bit. To score you have to shoot, so it has to come in, and we tried to push as much as possible to the middle.”
“Obviously he’s done a good job of putting some up there the last couple of games and getting some attention there,” Tavares said of Knies after the Dec. 30 morning skate. “We changed a few things and that led to some good chances and the puck went into the net. We want to keep it that way and it’s great to see him playing like he is and contributing offensively. It’s a big part of his game and he’s a real key player for us in a lot of areas.”
We’ll need to see a larger sample size, and the recent power play success is a collective achievement, but Knies’ new role seems to be the impetus. Knies uses his frame very well, and during morning skates it’s clear how he can jam home packages from the inside slot, teaming up with Tavares or Nicolas Roy at the front of the net, or turning his back to the net to move the play back to the point.
When Knies is at the top of his game, the Maple Leafs offense hits a new gear. Knies’ role in the bumper has fueled the Maple Leafs’ recent resurgence, which could be a catalyst for a real climb in the second half of the standings.
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