Leafs appreciate Knies throwing weight around

Matthew Knies is showing off his strength during his sophomore season with the Leafs. 

"He's just a horse," said defenceman Simon Benoit. "Like, he's so strong. I don't think he knows it, but he's so f---king strong ... He's still figuring out his game. Sometimes it takes a bit of time, but I think he's doing a great job this year and he's just showing it right now."

Knies scored twice and added an assist on Monday in a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The top-line winger will look to keep rolling on Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Knies is Toronto's heaviest forward at 227 pounds. He's also one of the tallest at 6-foot-3. More and more, Knies is figuring out how to use that big frame to his advantage and open up space for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. 

"It seems like he wins almost every single wall battle," observed winger Steven Lorentz, who leads the Leafs in hits. "His body positioning and how he sticks his body into guys, he gains that edge before the battle even happens and then he comes out on top. It's impressive to see for a guy who's only 22 years old. It's fun to watch because you know when Kniesy's going into a corner he's a big bowling ball."

And Knies isn't afraid to go to the net once he gets the puck. 

"You take some of the top-end skill in the league and then you put it in that frame, it's tough," said defenceman Conor Timmins. "He can go through you; he can go around you."

Knies is up to 18 goals and 13 assists through 46 games. The exciting thing for the Leafs is that the University of Minnesota product has plenty of room to grow. 

"He'll grow," said coach Craig Berube. "The growth will probably come with a little bit of playmaking over time and trying to find different ways to score goals. He does have a very good shot, so he probably has the ability to score from distance at some point.

Those are things that I think over time he'll work on. That just doesn't come naturally for everybody."

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The Blue Jackets will lean on defenceman Zach Werenski when it comes to trying to slow down Toronto's top line.

"He's been a rock back there for us every single night," said centre Adam Fantilli. "It's a Norris-type season."

Werenski, who will play with Matthews on Team USA at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, logs more minutes than anyone else in the NHL. He is averaging 26 minutes and 49 seconds of ice time.

"It's unbelievable," said forward Kent Johnson. "I've never seen anything like it. He definitely, right now, deserves the Norris. He's been our MVP by far. It's special to see every night and get to play with. It's crazy. He's such a smooth skater, so that helps and he's just so smart and has such a good motor. It's impressive. He's the whole package."

Werenski has scored 15 goals and produced 51 points, which is one behind Colorado's Cale Makar, who leads all NHL blueliners. Werenski is tied with Vancouver's Quinn Hughes for most even-strength points by a defenceman (31).

"Looking around the league, I don't know if there’s many guys having a better season than he's having," said winger James van Riemsdyk. 

"You can't even call him dual threat," said Lorentz. "He's got more than dual threat. He's solid all over the ice. He's got a good stick. He can play the body, and he's up and down both ends of the rink. It seems he's the fastest guy out there. So, you've just got to do your best to contain him and not let him get behind you."

Werenski's play is a big reason why the Jackets have defied the odds and stayed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Columbus sits just one point out of a wild-card spot. 

Head coach Dean Evason feels like the injuries sustained by captain Boone Jenner and defenceman Erik Gudbranson opened the door for Werenski to take on a bigger role off the ice, and that led to him having more confidence on the ice.

"What he has done as a leader, as a calm presence, as a mature person within the locker room, has really helped us," Evason said. "He does a lot of things that people don't see from the outside, but we clearly value from the inside."

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The Jackets led 3-0 when Werenski and Matthews shared the ice during a 6-2 win over the Leafs on Oct. 22 in Columbus. That game is tied for Toronto's most lopsided loss this season. They also lost by four in a game against the Florida Panthers on Nov. 27.

"They remember it for sure," Berube said of his players. "They don't forget about that. But it's a different time now. We've got to focus on what we need to do tonight to be successful in the game. And that's what we talked about this morning. Our mindset going into the game. Our motivational level. We've got to check here tonight. And that's going to be important because of their talent and speed and things over there.

“So, we have to play a tight-checking game, and we'll get our opportunities. I think that's got to be the approach."

Berube called together the team's leadership group at the end of practice on Tuesday to hammer home the message. The Leafs are coming off two intense games against divisional opponents Montreal and Tampa Bay. Before that it was a big showdown against former coach Sheldon Keefe and the New Jersey Devils, which went to overtime.

"We can't take any teams lightly when they come into our building," stressed Lorentz. "We expect their best playing in Toronto. We have to come and focus on ourselves tonight, bring it from the first shift, kind of like that Tampa game."

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Rookie Dennis Hildeby, who took the loss in Columbus in October, will get the start for the Leafs. Joseph Woll will get a break after playing four games in a seven-day stretch.

"Woll's had a lot of work," Berube said. "A lot of emotional games, I would say. You know, Montreal, Tampa, like big games and emotional games. A lot of work. With the schedule and everything, just time for Hildeby to get in there."

Hildeby last played on Jan. 11 when he took the loss in a 3-0 game against the Vancouver Canucks. He owns an .891 save percentage in his first five NHL games. 

"He's tough to score on," said Timmins. "Just a big body, really athletic, battles on a crease. So, we're really confident when he's in there."

At 6-foot-7, Hildeby certainly takes up a lot of the net. 

"The beast," Lorentz said with a smile, referencing Hildeby's nickname. "He's not just a guy that takes up space. He can move side to side laterally very well. His rebound control is great too. So, he's just a good kid. He's always smiling. He's happy to be here, and we love having him in the net. So yeah, we're excited to see what he's got for us tonight."

The Jackets planned to start Elvis Merzlikins, but he went down in discomfort at the morning skate. He remained down for a while and then skated to the bench to stretch out his leg. The 30-year-old Latvian remained on the ice and got back into a drill, but never looked completely comfortable. He left the ice early.

"I was like, 'Oh geez, I hope he's okay,'" said Johnson. "It seemed like he was okay and got back in the net." 

Evason did not have an update after the skate. 

Daniil Tarasov did not stay out late, which the backup goalie normally would. 

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It's a big night for Luca Del Bel Belluz, who will play his first NHL game in his hometown. 

"It's where I fell in love with the game," the 21-year-old forward from Woodbridge, Ont. said. "Just such a cool rink, cool atmosphere. It will be awesome to get out there tonight."

Del Bel Belluz expects to have plenty of friends and family in attendance to watch his eighth career NHL game. 

"I don't know the exact numbers," he said. "Definitely 50-plus. It's not like any of those people asked for tickets. They found their own way to get their own tickets to support me. I can't thank them enough."

Del Bel Belluz was a big Leafs fan growing up and Matthews was among his childhood idols. 

"He's a player that I looked up to and someone whose game I fell in love with and watched a lot," he said. "It's definitely going to be cool to get out there and share the ice with him."

Del Bel Belluz went to a draft watch party at Real Sports back in 2016 when the Leafs picked Matthews first overall. 

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Fantilli will be playing his second ever game in his hometown. 

"I was definitely maybe overwhelmed coming back last time," the third-overall pick in the 2023 draft said. "I had 90 to 100 people here and it gets to you but, to be honest, it's an experience you'll remember for a while ... Tonight will be the first time I'm like, 'Alright, I've done this before,' and I can just play the game and have fun." 

Fantilli will have fewer guests on Wednesday night, but not by much. 

"Seventy," he said with a smile. "Paying to play." 

His wallet takes a hit on a night like this, but the support is worth it. 

"It just adds some excitement," the 20-year-old forward from Nobleton, Ont. said. "I know I'm playing in front of a lot eyes of people I love and people that are good friends of mine, so try to play extra hard and try to show up for them."

Fantilli feels like a more well-rounded player this season and credits Sean Monahan for helping him learn what it takes to play centre in the NHL. 

"Defensively, I'm able to slow down the game a little bit in the D-zone," he said. "I'm a player who always thinks I have to be skating fast to be working hard, but that's not always true. Sometimes less is more in the D-zone." 

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Lorentz took his first penalty of the season on Saturday in Montreal. He was whistled for tripping Mike Matheson in the third period as the Canadiens attempted to mount a comeback.

"As soon as I hit him, I kind of figured that might happen just knowing the score of the game," Lorentz said. "I looked over and saw the arm go up. I thought, 'Oh, well.' But that happens. I didn't try to take his legs out. I was just trying to get in there and get body position on him, but stuff happens. I didn't expect to go 82 without a penalty minute."

The always-smiling Lorentz breaks into an even bigger grin than usual.  

"It probably wouldn't have been a good look anyways," he said. "It's probably good that I got one on the board, so I don't have a big donut sitting under the penalty minute category."

How does Lorentz stay on the right side of the law despite playing a gritty style? 

"I try to pride myself on just being on the right side of pucks and on my man," he said. "And when you do that, usually you're not going to have to reach or put sticks in between guys' legs or get into the guys' hands. So, I just try to do that. It's worked so far up until that last game there. I'm not going to change."

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The Leafs placed veteran winger Max Pacioretty on injured reserve, which means he will also miss Saturday's game in Ottawa. Berube indicated this is now considered more than a day-to-day injury. 

The team recalled Jacob Quillan from the American Hockey League, who will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday. Quillan has 15 points in 35 games with the Toronto Marlies this season.

"He's up here because he's played really well down there," said Berube. "He's been a very good player of late. If we need him, he's available for us. When guys do well, they get rewarded. They come up to the NHL."

The 22-year-old winger from Nova Scotia has never played in the NHL. 

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Projected Leafs lineup for Wednesday's game: 

Knies - Matthews - Marner 
McMann - Holmberg - Nylander  
Domi - Minten - Robertson 
Lorentz - Kampf - Reaves 

Ekman-Larsson - Tanev 
Rielly - McCabe 
Benoit - Timmins 
 
Hildeby starts 
Woll