"Rare Zona on Zona violence": Matthew Knies' playful chirp at Coyotes' 5,000-capacity Mullett Arena leaves NHL fans in splits

Ahead of Wednesday's away fixture against the Arizona Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies took a shot at the Coyotes' 5,000-capacity Mullett Arena, leaving fans in splits.

The arena's 5,000 capacity is pretty small when compared to the other NHL stadiums.

Following the Leafs' 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Monday, the 21-year-old forward said he'll have about 50 to 60 friends and family members set to watch him play against Arizona in Mullett Arena:

"Matthew Knies says he has about 50-60 people going to the game against Arizona “which is probably a section in that arena.”

Matthew Knies' jibe that his list of attendees is sufficient to fill "a section" of the Mullett Arena got plenty of reactions online. The comment left fans in splits, as they unsurprisingly took to X, formerly Twitter, to react.

One fan tweeted:

"Rare Zona on Zona violence"

Another chimed in:

"My fav dig from a Leaf player since Lupul's infamous "I asked for a windowless room" comment RE; Buffalo."

Here are some of the other top reactions on X:

The 21-year-old forward will be back in his hometown when the Leafs face the Coyotes on Wednesday. Notably, Knies is the only Leafs player who has skated at Mullett Arena before playing an NHL game.

He skated there while representing the University of Golden Gophers in an NCAA game.

How has Matthew Knies fared with the Maple Leafs?

Toronto Maple Leafs v Ottawa Senators

Knies was drafted No. 57 by the Maple Leafs in the 2021 NHL draft. He made his debut during the 2022-23 season, appearing in three games.

Knies has been a top-line forward alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. This season, he has racked up 23 points through 10 goals and 13 assists in 52 games. He scored a goal in the Maple Leafs' recent 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues as well.

With 68 points, the Leafs are third in the Atlantic Division and sit 10th in the overall league standings. The club is currently 8-2-0 in its last 10 outings.