The Toronto Maple Leafs ended their five-game losing streak Tuesday with a 3–2 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues.
The victory, however, came at a potentially big cost and added a troubling new development to the team’s growing injury list.
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Before puck drop, forward Matthew Knies was ruled out as a surprise late scratch with the Leafs providing little to no information, simply labeling Knies as “day-to-day” and giving no additional information.
During his postgame media availability, head coach Craig Berube pointed to a deeper concern as he revealed the nature of Knies’ absence.
“Lower body,” Berube said. “This morning, I wasn’t sure if he was going to play or not, so I told Sammy to be ready. He came here tonight, Knies, and he couldn’t go. He has had a lingering thing for a while. It got worse today.”
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Until Tuesday, Knies had shown no visible signs of injury in games or practices. His sudden absence raised questions, but Berube’s wording was the first indication that Knies has been nursing an unreported issue for some time.
That detail had not been disclosed publicly by the team or general manager Brad Treliving at any point throughout the season.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (23) carries the puck against the Florida PanthersJohn E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Leafs were already without captain Auston Matthews, first-pair defenseman Chris Tanev, top goalie Anthony Stolarz and a few other important veterans such as Brandon Carlo, Nicolas Roy and Scott Laughton.
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The situation got even worse when Knies’ replacement, forward Sammy Blais, exited in the third period after logging just six minutes, 31 seconds of ice time. Blais registered an assist before leaving, and Berube said he was “coughing up blood” after being removed from the game.
The Maple Leafs improved to 9–9–2 with the win, and they will host the Columbus Blue Jackets next on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
Related: Troubling Auston Matthews Injury Update Emerges Amid Maple Leafs’ Losing Streak
Related: Maple Leafs Announce Sammy Blais Injury Update After Leaving Blues Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.