“Big horse out there”: Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner heaps praises on 22-year-old Maple Leafs ‘beast’ forward

Toronto Maple Leafs stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are singing words of praise for forward Matthew Knies. He is gaining attention for his strong play. At 22, Knies is the youngest on the team and also one of the strong-built player, standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 227 pounds. He has also been scoring consistently, with five goals in his last six games.

Matthews, who’s from the same state as Knies, is impressed with the young forward’s presence in front of the net.

“He has such a presence down low in front of the net,” Matthews said. “He’s finding really good spots and he’s capitalizing on some of these opportunities. He’s a beast.”

Knies has been playing on the top line with Matthews and Marner, where he’s using his size and skill effectively. With six goals in 11 games, Knies is the second-highest scorer on the team behind William Nylander. His latest goal came in a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, where he scored off a setup from Matthews and Marner.

Marner also appreciates Knies’ physical play.

“He’s a big horse out there,” Marner said. “It’s been great just to see him come into his own. He’s a big body, wins a lot of one-on-one battles and gets the puck back for us. He takes a lot of abuse in front of the net, but he gets his goals for it.”

This season, Knies has stayed on the top line after rotating spots last year. Marner said Knies has adjusted well to the fast pace he and Auston Matthews play at.

Auston Matthews and Maple Leafs' crucial season

The Maple Leafs are 6-5-1 and are placed 3rd in the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs are in a crucial year after losing to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs last season.

That led to the firing of former head coach Sheldon Keefe. Additionally, this has left the Leafs' core four vulnerable. With two forwards secure, the Leafs currently have a big question mark regarding contract extensions for Mitch Marner and former captain John Tavares.

The Maple Leafs have performed well against strong NHL teams like the New Jersey Devils (4-2), Los Angeles Kings (6-2), Winnipeg Jets (6-4), and most recently, the Kraken (4-1). They have 13 points with six wins. The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are ranked higher than Toronto, with 19 and 14 points respectively.

The Leafs' top line is meeting expectations, especially the current second line of Nylander (RW), John Tavares (C), and Max Pacioretty (LW). Matthew Knies (LW), Auston Matthews (C), and Mitch Marner (RW) are in charge of the Leafs' first line of offense.