Matthew Knies believes pressure from playing for Maple Leafs will make him a better player

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies isn’t shying away from the pressure that comes with donning the Blue and White, and instead is eager to take on a bigger role with the team.

With Mitch Marner gone to the Vegas Golden Knights, Knies has taken over the void as one of the Leafs’ core pieces of now and the foreseeable future. That doesn’t seem to faze the 22-year-old because he thrives in the pressure.

“Everyone’s always going to tell you the cliché that pressure is a privilege and stuff,” he said to The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke. “But I think it’s honestly so much fun that there’s so many people so invested in our group. I’d be upset with fans if they weren’t unhappy with my game if I wasn’t playing well.”

“I want that feeling that I’m playing for the whole city. I don’t really look at it as something that can tear me down. It’s something that is going to make me better.”

That type of mentality is what is required to be successful in the Toronto market, and it’s notable that Knies already possesses it after only two full seasons in the NHL. His drive to push himself to greater heights is evidenced by the fact that he spent parts of the offseason training in Minnesota with Anaheim Ducks defenceman Jackson LaCombe and St. Louis Blues forward Jimmy Snuggerud.

During his exit meeting with the Leafs, Knies informed the coaching staff that he felt he needed to improve his wall play and touches in tight areas, while also working on becoming leaner, quicker, and stronger. It ended up being a short meeting because they agreed with his assessment.

“I think that they kind of left it up to me on knowing what’s best and what I should work on. I’m glad they did, because I think it’s really helped,” he said. “A lot of it this summer has just been myself doing my own drills. Now, having played for two seasons, I’ve figured out what my game needs and where my game is not the strongest. So I think a lot of this stuff I take on myself.”

It certainly helps that he got an invite to the United States Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp, suggesting he is in contention to represent his country in Milan. His spot on the team is far from a sure thing, but he is committed to making a strong impression this upcoming season in the hopes of earning a spot.

Even if that doesn’t materialize, the sky is the limit for Knies, who will almost certainly be starting the season on the top line alongside Auston Matthews and someone else. He knows the pressure is only going to increase now that he has a six-year, $7.75M AAV extension signed and Marner off to Nevada.

“I don’t think that there’s anything that prepares you for it. I want to say it comes with experience,” he said. “I think the first time I showed up at development camp my first year, there’s 15 cameras in your face, you’re thrown into the fire. You’ve just got to be honest and stay level-headed and humble.”