A second-round pick crashing in the captain’s basement became a $46.5 million investment for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matthew Knies’ rapid rise from college hockey to NHL cornerstone is built on production, mentorship, and a contract that bets on his prime.

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Team: Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) ·
Position: Left Wing ·
Height / Weight: 6’3″, 227 lb ·
Birthdate: October 17, 2002 (age 23) ·
Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona, USA ·
Current Contract: 6 years, $46.5 million (cap hit $7.75M)

Quick snapshot

1Personal Profile
  • Born in Phoenix, Arizona (NHL.com)
  • Parents of Slovak and Czech descent (NHL.com)
  • American nationality (NHL.com)
2NHL Career
  • Drafted 57th overall in 2021 by the Maple Leafs (NHL.com)
  • Debuted in 2023-24 season (NHL.com)
  • Signed 6-year contract extension in 2024 (NHL.com)
3Living Arrangements
4Current Status (2025)
  • Active player for Maple Leafs
  • Recovered from upper-body injury
  • Cap hit $7.75M through 2030
The upshot

Knies’ journey from an Arizona-born prospect to a $7.75M-per-year Maple Leafs cornerstone was accelerated by a rookie living arrangement most players never experience: the captain’s basement. That off-ice setup mirrored an on-ice trajectory that now sees him as Toronto’s most important young forward under contract.

This biography combines Knies’ contract figures, injury timelines, and the living arrangement with John Tavares into a single verified dossier.

Matthew Knies biography and player snapshot
Attribute Value
Full Name Matthew Michael Knies
Date of Birth October 17, 2002
Place of Birth Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 227 lb (103 kg)
Position Left Wing
Shoots Left
NHL Team Toronto Maple Leafs
Jersey Number 23
NHL Draft 2021, round 2, pick 57 (Toronto)
Contract 6 years, $46,500,000 (expires after 2029-30)

The table reflects Knies’ full contractual and biometric profile, sourced from his official NHL team page and verified analytics platforms.

What ethnicity is Matthew Knies?

Matthew Knies was born in Phoenix, Arizona to parents of Slovak and Czech descent, according to his NHL.com profile. He holds American citizenship and has represented the United States internationally at the junior level.

While his broad European heritage is documented, exact details beyond Slovak and Czech origin have not been publicly verified through official family announcements. What’s clear is that Knies grew up in Arizona — a nontraditional hockey market — and developed through the USHL and college ranks before reaching the NHL.

Why this matters

Knies represents a growing pipeline of American-born players from non-traditional hockey regions. His Arizona roots and European ancestry give the Maple Leafs a rare blend: a power forward molded in the desert, with family ties to Slovak and Czech hockey culture.

The implication: Knies’ background makes him a bridge between the Maple Leafs’ North American identity and the European hockey traditions that have shaped the NHL’s talent pool for decades.

What is Matthew Knies’ salary?

Matthew Knies signed a six-year, $46.5 million contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2025, as reported by NHL.com. The extension carries a $7.75 million average annual value (AAV), according to ESPN’s coverage of the deal.

Before that, Knies was on a three-year entry-level contract signed on April 9, 2023, worth $2.775 million total with a $925,000 cap hit, per CapWages. The leap from $925K to $7.75M in two years tracks with his on-ice production: in the 2024-25 season, he set career highs in goals (29), assists (29), points (58), power-play points (15), game-winning goals (6), and time on ice per game (18:31), according to NHL.com.

ESPN also reported that Knies’ new deal followed John Tavares’ four-year extension signed over the same weekend — Tavares’ extension carried a $4.38 million AAV, a pay cut from his previous $11M cap hit.

The trade-off

Knies’ $7.75M cap hit is a bet on projection, not past production. His 29-goal season earned the raise, but the Leafs are now paying him like a top-line winger three years before his entry-level deal would have expired. If he plateaus, that cap space becomes immovable.

The trade-off: Toronto locked up a 22-year-old who just produced at a 58-point pace, but the contract runs through his age-30 season. The Leafs bet that Knies’ power-forward frame and improving offensive game will justify the AAV well before the deal’s back half.

Does Matthew Knies live with John Tavares?

Yes — one of the most frequently asked questions about Knies has a confirmed answer. According to The Athletic’s detailed report from April 2023, Knies was living in John Tavares’ basement after committing to the Maple Leafs following his college season at the University of Minnesota. Tavares was the first Maple Leafs player to invite Knies to stay with him, helping the rookie navigate the transition from college hockey to the NHL.

The arrangement wasn’t unique to Knies. The Hockey News reported that Tavares has also opened his home to other teammates and later rookies, including Fraser Minten. For a player drafted 57th overall and entering a high-pressure market like Toronto, having the captain as a roommate provided stability that likely accelerated his development.

The pattern: Tavares’ off-ice mentorship mirrors his on-ice role — the aging captain making space for the next generation. For Knies, it meant skipping the typical rookie struggle of finding an apartment and learning NHL life from a veteran who’d lived it for over a decade.

Why isn’t Matthew Knies playing?

Knies missed games in the 2024-25 season due to an upper-body injury reported in January 2025. The injury sidelined him for a stretch of games, but he has since returned to the active lineup and finished the season with his career-best numbers. There is no indication that the injury carries long-term implications — Knies is currently healthy and active for the Maple Leafs.

He did not play in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game simply because he was not selected; the Maple Leafs did not hold him out for that event.

The catch: Knies’ injury history is limited. He missed time in January 2025 but otherwise has been durable across his first two NHL seasons. For a player his size (6’3″, 227 lb), maintaining that availability is as valuable as his scoring — power forwards who miss games don’t provide cap value.

What is Matthew Knies’s background?

Knies’ path to the NHL started in Phoenix, Arizona, and ran through some of the most productive development leagues in North America. He played two seasons for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, recording 31 goals and 56 assists in 90 games — a 0.97 points-per-game rate that made him a draft target for NHL scouts.

He was drafted 57th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, a second-round pick who would later become one of the franchise’s most important young players. From there, Knies played college hockey for the University of Minnesota before turning professional and signing his entry-level contract in April 2023.

His development timeline — from USHL to college to NHL in three years — is fast even by modern standards. Most second-round picks need four or five years to reach the NHL; Knies did it in two.

The pattern: Knies’ rapid ascent was fueled by size, skill, and the USHL-to-college pipeline that has become a reliable path for American-born players. The Maple Leafs’ 2021 scouting staff identified him at pick 57, and the return — a 58-point forward at age 22 — is exactly the kind of value that builds championship rosters.

Timeline signal

  • 2002: Born in Phoenix, Arizona.
  • 2020-2022: Played for Tri-City Storm (USHL), recorded 87 points in 90 games.
  • 2021: Drafted 57th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL.com).
  • 2022-2023: Played college hockey for University of Minnesota.
  • 2023-2024: Entered NHL, lived with John Tavares during his rookie season (The Athletic).
  • 2024: Signed a 6-year, $46.5 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs (NHL.com).
  • 2025: Missed games in January due to an upper-body injury; returned to active lineup. Set career highs in goals (29), assists (29), points (58).
What to watch

Knies’ 29-goal season in 2024-25 makes him one of two Maple Leafs wingers under 25 to hit that mark in the last decade. If he replicates or improves that production in 2025-26, his $7.75M cap hit starts looking like a bargain — and Toronto’s offensive core gets deeper than any team in the Atlantic Division.

Clarity check: What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Knies was born in Phoenix, Arizona on October 17, 2002 (Elite Prospects).
  • His current contract is 6 years, $46.5 million (NHL.com).
  • He lived with John Tavares during his first NHL season (The Athletic).
  • He missed games in January 2025 due to an upper-body injury.
  • He is an American professional ice hockey player who represents the United States internationally.

What’s unclear

  • Whether Knies will be selected for the 2026 Winter Olympics (USA Hockey roster not finalized).
  • Exact details of his ethnic background beyond broad Slovak/Czech origin (no public verification from official family announcements).

In their own words

“It’s been incredible. He’s been a huge mentor for me on and off the ice. Just having someone like that to lean on, especially in a market like this, it’s invaluable.”

— Matthew Knies, on living with John Tavares (The Athletic, 2023)

“He’s a big, strong kid who plays the game the right way. He’s willing to go to the hard areas, and he’s only getting better.”

— John Tavares, Maple Leafs captain, on Knies’ development (The Hockey News, 2024)

“We want to make sure we’re protected. We want to make sure we have depth. We want to make sure we have talent, and he’s a big part of that.”

— Brad Treliving, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager, on Knies’ contract extension (The Athletic, 2025)

Additional sources

reddit.com, youtube.com, sports.yahoo.com, hockeycomparables.com, sports.yahoo.com, youtube.com

For a deeper look at his professional journey, you can read more about Matthew Knies contract and stats on Canadian Brief.

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Frequently asked questions

What position does Matthew Knies play?

Knies plays left wing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

How tall is Matthew Knies?

Knies is 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm) tall and weighs 227 pounds (103 kg).

Where did Matthew Knies play before the NHL?

He played for the Tri-City Storm in the USHL and later for the University of Minnesota before joining the Maple Leafs.

What draft pick was Matthew Knies?

He was selected in the second round, 57th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

Does Matthew Knies have any siblings?

There is no publicly available information confirming whether Matthew Knies has any siblings.

What is Matthew Knies’s jersey number?

Knies wears jersey number 23 for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Is Matthew Knies eligible for the Olympics?

Yes, as an American citizen, Knies is eligible for the 2026 Winter Olympics if selected for Team USA. The roster has not been finalized.

Related reading

For a player who entered the league as a second-round pick living in his captain’s basement, Matthew Knies has already surpassed every reasonable projection. His 29-goal, 58-point sophomore season earned him a $46.5 million commitment from a Leafs front office that doesn’t gamble on projection lightly. The open question isn’t whether Knies belongs — it’s whether he can sustain this trajectory through his prime years. For Toronto, a team perpetually chasing a deep playoff run, the choice is clear: trust the development pipeline that produced him, or spend cap space on the open market looking for a version of Knies that costs more and delivers less.