As has become the standard for end-of-season media availabilities, we learn about the injuries players had at certain points of the season and how they might have affected their efforts.

During the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ locker cleanout on Thursday, forward Matthew Knies opened up about the severity of a knee injury that led to him missing some time earlier this season, saying it wasn’t as bad as the media and fans perceived.

“It came up earlier in the year,” Knies said. “I honestly don’t even know what date…sometime pretty early in the season. I think it was kind of blown out of proportion. I don’t think it was that, that serious as everyone was saying.”

Knies noted that he played with the injured knee for the entire season, but it wasn’t enough to keep him out of action for a long period.

“It was obviously not comfortable to play with all year, but it didn’t really hinder me being out of the lineup.”

The ailment led to the former Minnesota Golden Gopher being absent for three games back in November, but that was the only time he missed during the 2025-26 season. Now, with Toronto’s season over after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in a decade, Knies is excited to take some time and heal up so he can attack the 2026-27 campaign in full force.

“I’m happy now that I can let it heal up and rest it a little bit, and try to come back 100% for next season.”

Despite the team faltering in many facets, including defencively per Knies’ own omission on Thursday, the 23-year-old had one of the most productive seasons of his young NHL career. In 79 games, he scored 23 goals, posting career highs in assists (43) and points (66), finishing third on the team in scoring behind forwards William Nylander and John Tavares. It marked the second straight season in which Knies has reached 55 points. Some of his defencive metrics weren’t the best, with the Arizona native ending the campaign with a plus/minus of -30. Then again, when you consider that only two Leafs regulars – Brandon Carlo and Jake McCabe – finished with a positive rating this season, Knies is about par for the course.

The 2025-26 season was Knies’ first under his six-year contract extension, which he signed last June. The deal carries an AAV of $7.75 million and a modified no-trade clause through the 2030-31 campaign. In 239 regular-season games with the Leafs, he has scored 67 goals and 93 assists for 160 points, with another 14 points in 27 postseason games.