As part of their major offseason transformation, the Toronto Maple Leafs included forward Matthew Knies in the blockbuster trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets that netted them forward Kirill Marchenko in return.
Immediately, Knies made an impact for the Blue Jackets, scoring twice in his regular-season debut for the club last month in a win over the Buffalo Sabres. But since then, he has gone through a horrific slump that has seen him fail to light the lamp once.
Thankfully for Knies, that nightmare slump has come to a close thanks to his goal on Thursday evening against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nationwide Arena.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Matthew Knies Finally Breaks His Massive Slump
Knies went 15 straight games without scoring a goal for the Blue Jackets after scoring twice in his regular-season debut.
However, that slump is now officially history thanks to his goal in the first period of Thursday’s contest at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Knies redirected a pass from Kent Johnson past his former Maple Leafs teammate Dennis Hildeby, knotting the score at 1-1.
The goal was Knies’ third of the season, and the 70th of his NHL career.
Matthew Knies Recently Said He Wasn’t Worried About His Slump
Recently, Knies said that he wasn’t worried about his prolonged scoring slump, saying that he knows goals can come in waves.
“It’ll come you know. I am not too worried about it. I feel like if I score tomorrow, and it opens up and I score the following day, and then we aren’t talking about this. So, it just kind of comes in waves like that,” said Knies.
Additionally, he feels good about his linemates, calling them talented and smart but that it’s also on him to get into the right areas of the ice to score.
“They’re good players, smart players, they make a lot of good plays, and I just got to find myself in the right areas to kind of bury the puck,” said Knies.
Now that Knies has officially gotten the monkey off his back, the Blue Jackets are hoping the offensive floodgates open for the forward, who has shown he’s capable of producing in bunches.
Matthew Knies Breaks Brutal Slump at Expense of Former Maple Leafs Teammate