Maple Leafs' Matthew Knives Reveals Truth About Pressure in Toronto's Hockey Market

Knies credited former Maple Leafs captain and current teammate John Tavares for teaching him how to block out the noise.

“Living with Johnny, you realize you don’t got to listen to any of that stuff,” Knies said. “You don’t focus on that. You just focus on the game. I don’t think he’s ever throwing on any of the reporters when he comes home from a game. He's throwing on other games, on the games on the West Coast.

So it's like, you focus on just hockey in general. You don’t focus on what other people are saying. I think that's kind of what i got from Johnny, is just, you don't worry about any of that stuff.”

Knies acknowledged that the Toronto market is unlike any other in terms of intensity, something that was brought back to the conversation following Marner's exit and his remarks on the Maple Leafs fans' behaviour toward him during the playoffs.

“I mean, a little bit of all of that, to be honest,” Knies said about the frustration he felt at times because of Toronto's media's steady pressure. “Like, it’s, I think a lot of the weight was taken off my shoulders by those guys (teammates Auston Matthews, Marner, William Nylander, and Tavares).”

Despite the attention that comes with Knies' new contract with the Leafs, the 22-year-old said he still tries to stay grounded and avoid feeding the media narratives.

“Just know that there always comes another day, and you gotta work your tail off and they’ll be happy,” Knies said.

Knies will open the season on the top line alongside Auston Matthews as the Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.