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Maple Leafs Lose Forward After Controversial Hit

The Toronto Maple Leafs might be losing another forward to injury, this time after a borderline hit.

Nick Horwat

Nov 8, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (23) skates against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Nov 8, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (23) skates against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are already down numerous key forwards, but another might be out for a while after a questionable hit from a Vegas Golden Knights defender. In the second period, Matthew Knies was taken out of the Maple Leafs’ lineup after Zach Whitecloud connected with a huge hit.

It didn’t take long for the Maple Leafs to rule Knies out for the remainder of the game with an upper-body injury. Whitecloud’s hit was a big one, and pretty quickly people were calling for there to be supplemental discipline.

The hit caught Knies up high, forcing his head to snap back before falling to the ice. Knies’ head didn’t appear to bounce off the ice, but Whitecloud’s shoulder appeared to catch Knies in the face.

Knies was skating through the neutral zone with the puck when Whitecloud laid the huge hit. A scrum ensued and Whitecloud was eventually penalized, but not for the initial hit. Whitecloud was given a two-minute minor penalty for roughing against Simon Benoit, who was retaliating to the hit.

The Maple Leafs are familiar with illegal hits as their last game saw veteran forward Ryan Reaves lay a hit that earned him a five-game suspension. Reaves’ hit against Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse was a bit more egregious, and deserving of the suspension.

Whitecloud’s hit may not be enough to receive a call from the Department of Player Safety, but it didn’t seem like a totally clean hit. It seems clear that the main point of contact for Whitecloud’s shoulder was Knies’ head.

Even if he was trying to drive through Knies’ shoulder, Whitecloud makes contact with the head. Many people are also concerned that Whitecloud may have left hit fit to make the hit, but the NHL deemed he didn’t.

According to the Sportsnet panel during the second intermission, there was no call on the ice because it was a “good clean hockey hit.”

The Golden Knights defender might not see any more repercussions from the incident, but the Maple Leafs now have to worry about possibly losing another forward to injury.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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