Maple Leafs Make Late Roster Changes Before Wild Game

The Maple Leafs got some good news today, welcoming back veteran Max Pacioretty to the lineup against the Minnesota Wild. But it’s not all positive – they had to move rookie sensation Matthew Knies to injured reserve to make room.

Pacioretty has been sidelined since January 18 after getting hurt against Montreal. The 36-year-old forward’s return couldn’t come at a better time for Toronto.

The team’s been struggling lately without some key players. They managed to beat Tampa Bay but got crushed by Columbus and came up short against Ottawa.

Knies has been out since January 22 after a bizarre accident where he collided with a linesman during the Columbus game. The young forward joins captain John Tavares on the injured list, leaving some big holes in Toronto’s lineup.

The roster shuffle does have one silver lining – it lets fan favorite Nikita Grebenkin stick around a bit longer before heading back to the minors.

Pacioretty’s been a pleasant surprise this season, but not in the way most expected. While he’s not the pure scorer he once was, he’s reinvented himself as a physical force on the ice.

“He hits like a Mack truck out there,” one teammate said of the 6-foot-2, 217-pound veteran.

He’s already racked up 89 hits this season – just 30 shy of his career high from 2018-19. Not bad for a guy who signed a bargain one-year deal after a training camp tryout. He’s also chipped in 5 goals and 7 assists in 32 games.

The bigger concern might be Knies. This is his second injury in what’s been an incredible rookie season. The 21-year-old has been magical alongside stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, putting up 18 goals and 31 assists.

He’s on pace for more than 30 goals and 200 hits – showing why he’s quickly becoming one of the league’s most complete young players.

The Leafs know what they have in Knies. He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract, and Toronto would be smart to lock him up long-term – and soon.

Getting Pacioretty back is step one. Once Knies returns, the Leafs will be that much closer to full strength as they try to hold onto their slim lead in the Atlantic Division.