Matthew Knies is getting the first look on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and is ready to embrace a privilege that few players his age receive.

Knies took line rushes with Matthews and Marner during Wednesday’s practice session and it appears that he’ll get an extended look alongside Toronto’s resident superstars. By all accounts, he’s embracing the opportunity, while entering a contract year.

“I’m going to work my tail off to support them,” Knies said via Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.

Knies-Matthews-Marner played 406:04 at 5-on-5 last season through 66 games, sporting a plus-12 goal differential (24-12) and a 57.8 percent share of the expected goals via Natural Stat Trick. It’s a proven combination, at least during the regular season, and it’s an ideal combination of speed, size, skill, defensive responsibility and offensive inventiveness. Nothing has been finalized yet, but it appears that Toronto’s top line is locked in, barring injury, or a major surge from youngsters Easton Cowan and Nikita Grebenkin.

The 21-year-old is eligible for a contract extension and said that he wants to remain with the Maple Leafs. It’s likely in the team’s best interest to reach an agreement sooner rather than later. Knies will be expected to improve upon his scoring production from last season if he’s stapled to the best goal-scorer in the league in Matthews and an elite playmaker in Marner. Toronto’s emerging left winger recorded 15 goals and 35 points in 2023-24, his first full season with the Maple Leafs, which are stellar numbers for a rookie but he’s expected to take a major leap especially with the calibre of linemates he’s been afforded.

Knies knows it’s a honour to play with Matthews, but he’s keeping it lighthearted as well. When asked about his tennis matches with Matthews over the offseason, Knies smiled and said ‘I smoked him’ while noting that he’s undefeated against Toronto’s captain.

It wasn’t long ago that Knies was touted as the first piece of the Maple Leafs’ next generation, which now includes Cowan, Grebenkin and Fraser Minten among other prospects. Knies signed his entry-level deal in April 2023 and immediately helped the Maple Leafs during the 2023 playoffs, before suffering a season-ending injury against the Florida Panthers. He is a bridge between the team’s Cup contention window and a bright, undetermined future and he’ll have every chance to become one of the league’s best under-25 players this season alongside two of the NHL’s best forwards.