Is Matthew Knies playing against Panthers in Game 7? Maple Leafs receive big relief as HC Craig Berube provides crucial update 

By Jackson Weber

Modified May 18, 2025 16:10 GMT

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Toronto Maple Leafs fans can breathe a sigh of relief when it comes to Matthew Knies.

After an injury scare in Toronto's 2-0 Game 6 win, the star forward will be available to play in Sunday night's do-or-die Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.

Knies took the brunt of a reverse hit from Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola in the first period of Game 6. He was in extreme discomfort on the bench for several minutes to follow and was laboring throughout the rest of the game. Head coach Craig Berube limited his minutes and shifts from that point onwards, as Knies saw just 13:01 minutes of total ice time, by far his lowest in these playoffs.

Despite all of the concerns about his health, Knies took the morning skate, and Berube then confirmed afterwards that he will be a full go for Game 7. TSN Maple Leafs reporter Mark Masters provided the update on X (formerly Twitter).

"Craig Berube confirms that Matthew Knies is ready to go tonight. Plans to deploy him as he normally would," Masters wrote.

Matthew Knies is in the final season of his three-year, $2,775,000 entry-level contract signed with the Maple Leafs in 2023. As a pending RFA, he is set to earn a big raise this offseason.

While he's going to play, Matthew Knies is not at 100%

Matthew Knies will be playing through an injury on Sunday night, like almost every other player at this point in the postseason.

The Maple Leafs know Knies is banged up, but there's not much that could hold him out of a Game 7. Sportsnet's Luke Fox shared some of Craig Berube's comments on the matter in an article posted on X.

"You’re not injured because you’re playing. You're banged up. You're hurt. And there's a lot of that. There's a lot of teams and a lot of players (hurt). This time of year, you play through it, right? It’s too important not to," Berube said.

While it's admirable of Matthew Knies to battle through the ailment, it remains to be seen how effective he will be once the adrenaline wears off.

Everything is on the line for Knies and the Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the second round against the Florida Panthers on Sunday night. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. EST at Scotiabank Arena.