Brain injury revealed for Matthew Knies

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies burst onto the scene for the team last season, helping them finally win a postseason series for the first time since 2004. 

However, Toronto's good fortune would run out against the NHL team from Florida, as the Florida Panthers would eventually eliminate them in five games en route to what would be their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since their Cinderella-style run of 1996. What's worse, Knies was absent stating from midway through Game 2 after a controversial incident with Panthers forward Sam Bennett, who drove him into the boards and then tackled him to the ice; the series would be over for Knies, as he was unable to return. 

For Knies, the injury was revealed to have in fact been a concussion, but the good news is that it wasn't a serious setback. He's ready to go, and as it turns out, he would have been able to return to the postseason against Florida had the Leafs been able to survive longer.

According to David Alter of The Hockey News, Knies would have been eligible to play if Toronto had forced a Game 6: 

"Matthew Knies says he's fully recovered from the concussion he sustained in the playoffs. He says he was actually cleared to play in Game 6 against the Panthers had it happened."

Knies is understandably hoping to build off what he accomplished in a short time last year. 

"It's tough to say where I'm going to fit in," he said about his role for this upcoming year. "Obviously, I want to play with their best players but I just have to play my game and it's going to work out. Use my size to my advantage. I just want to fit in well with their systems and getting more comfortable with their practices. Those little things I haven't gotten too familiar with yet," said Knies when asked about where he sees himself fitting into the Leafs' lineup."

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