Maple Leafs Notes: Great hopes for Matt Knies; Masterton push for Mark Giordano

SUNRISE, Fla. — After Matthew Knies declined the Toronto Maple Leafs’ initial contract offer in 2022 and before he helped drive the University of Minnesota to a Frozen Four sudden-death final, the hottest prospect for hockey’s most scrutinized team declared he wanted to give the Leafs a jolt.

Right about now. Right about here, in Florida.

“Once I’ve matured myself as a player, I think that’s when I can make the step and kind of give the Leafs a boost and try to make them a better team,” Knies foreshadowed last summer.

Right when the Maple Leafs are sharpening their swords, licking their chops, and preparing to vanquish their playoff demons, once and for all.

General manger Kyle Dubas flew south on Easter weekend to watch his golden boy and the Golden Gophers come within one overtime goal of winning it all. Minnesota came up short.

But the most compelling season of Knies’ hockey life has risen again, as the much-gabbed-about prospect inked his inevitable three-year, entry-level deal Sunday with the Maple Leafs ($925,000 AAV, the max) that will give him a regular-season peek, burn a year toward UFA status, and present head coach Sheldon Keefe with an idea of his playoff lineup worth.

“He’s been a pretty big prospect for us for a couple years now,” Auston Matthews, a fellow Arizona native and a part-time mentor to Knies, told reporters Sunday. “I’m sure he can handle his own.

“Exciting time to get to know him more.”

Exciting?

Matthews is speaking for Leafs Nation.

The fan base is teetering between excessive hype (Nick Robertson, anyone?) and cautious optimism for a big-bodied left wing who drives the crease, manufactures scoring opportunities, and doesn’t shy away from contact.

Uh, yeah.

Sounds like precisely the type of talent Toronto, softer on the left flank than the right, could use in the future. Maybe the near one.

“He seems like a really mature hockey player,” Alexander Kerfoot says. “Heard a lot about him.

“Dynamic.”

Adds college stud Zach Aston-Reese, with a smirk: “I heard he was a Hobey Baker candidate like myself… not a big deal.”

Oh, Knies’s arrival is a big deal. Make no mistake.

Whether Knies’ impact is instant, like Chris Kreider’s, or takes a few years to bubble, like Alex Killorn’s, is to be determined.

Rest assured, his size and style lend well to the show. And Knies will get a chance this week to showcase his skills against grownups and start building a case for to be a playoff piece for the Maple Leafs.

Giordano the easy, best choice for Masterton nominee

Whether it’s the eye test (watching him fearlessly fling his limbs in the way of meaningless scoring attempts from lottery-bound teams) or the ear test (listening to him extol the virtues of playing a hard game hard), Mark Giordano passes with flying colours.

When it was suggested Saturday that the Maple Leafs might wish to play safe this week and save themselves for the playoffs, the oldest (and, arguably, most respected) skater in the NHL took exception.

“You just got to play hard. I think once you start worrying about resting and not getting hurt, that’s when you’re gonna get hurt. So, go out and play the game hard,” said the undrafted Giordano, who knows no other way.

“Year in and year out, teams that go in really sharp and really crisp, I think, are in a better spot than just trying to relax and get through the game.”

The modern-day shot block king knows no relax — except at the bargaining table, where he took less money last summer to do more for his hometown squad. Giordano only knows perseverance.

It’s impressive. It’s endearing.

So, it’s fitting the steady defenceman has won the Toronto chapter’s nomination for the 2023 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The Masterton recognizes the NHLer who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Previous Masterton nominees from the Leafs include Ondrej Kase, Morgan Rielly, Jack Campbell, and 2008 winner Jason Blake. 

The trophy was created in 1968 to commemorate Masterton, of the Minnesota North Stars, who died on Jan. 15, 1968, from on-ice injury. 

(Full disclosure: Giordano earned my first-place vote after 0.55 seconds of contemplation.)

The elite character and competitiveness Giordano exhibits nightly spurred Dubas to seek more of the same in preparation for the postseason.

“You kinda forget that we added a guy like Giordano last year at the trade deadline very similar. Just lays it all out there… blocking shots and giving everything he has to the game,” Keefe says.

“That is very contagious…. It’s hard not to go out there and duplicate it.”

One-Timers: As the Maple Leafs play salary-cap Jenga to remain compliant and squeeze Knies into their final road trip, Keefe was “not quite sure” Sunday if backup goalie Joseph Woll would be traveling with the club to Florida. If there’s a way, assistant GM Brandon Pridham will find it. As of Monday morning, Woll was not listed on the roster. Maybe Roberto Luongo could EBUG for the Leafs?… Keefe is fiddling with his top power-play unit, featuring Ryan O’Reilly instead of William Nylander and Erik Gustafsson instead of Morgan Rielly: “I wouldn’t experiment with anything I’m not considering.”… Mitchell Marner is two points away from 100, a milestone he obviously covets. “He's one of the more dangerous players in the league,” Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher says. “He's feeling good about his game.”… While the Canadiens have nothing to play for, Monday’s opponent, the Panthers, are clawing for a wild-card spot. “A different beast,” says Keefe. Florida will clinch a playoff berth if it defeats the Leafs in regulation or overtime and the Islanders lose to the Capitals in regulation.