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“There’s been a lot of guys that have played extremely well,” said Berube. “But I think Matthew Knies has surprised me. The growth I talked about from training camp on and throughout the season, how he’s grown as a player, you know, and what he’s accomplished this year. I’m not sure I pictured that.

“He’s been a special surprise. The ability was there. But he’s young. And as a young guy to me he’s grown quickly.”

It’s hard to imagine where the Maple Leafs would be without their other player from Arizona, Knies.

Knies is the kind of player who seems built for the playoffs. He can intimidate the opposition — with skill, speed and physicality — and score when the team needs it the most, as he did in Game 1 against the Panthers, scoring what held up as the winner on a breakaway with six minutes to go.

“The physicality, the skill, the ability to score big goals,” said Max Pacioretty, listing some of Knies’ attributes. “The mentality and the timeliness of those plays and those goals. He understands the playoffs, playing to the flow of the game, the scoreboard and the time.

“The timing of that goal (Monday) night was massive for our group. You don’t often see young guys have that understanding of what it takes to win, especially in the playoffs, at this stage of their career. But he certainly has it.”

Knies is just the kind of player GMs would love to clone, the kind of player the Leafs need in what has become a tough, physical series with the Florida Panthers, one in which the Leafs will have to find a way to responding to Florida’s cheap shots — like Sam Bennett’s elbow to Anthony Stolarz’s head — without crossing the line into the penalty box themselves.

Bennett concussed Knies two years ago in the playoffs.

“It’s the playoffs and s—- like that happens. They play hard. And it was a long time ago,” said Knies.

Following the path captain Auston Matthews started in the rinks around Phoenix and Scottsdale, Knies used the same skating coach, Boris Dorozhenko, whose groundbreaking edge work helps the big guys especially with their speed, balance and ability to protect a puck.

. That alone makes him a handful. But there are other parts of his game that make him hard to contain.

His put him in the 89th percentile league-wide. He had 113 speed bursts of over 20 m.p.h., more than 74 per cent of the league. His top shot speed clocks in at 90.51 miles an hour, better than 81 per cent of the league.

Knies is just 22 years old and already into his third NHL post-season.

“The experience definitely helps,” said Knies. “I just feel more comfortable. And obviously I have a better understanding of what it takes to win, and what it takes to move one. It’s a grind. But I’m just excited to keep playing hockey.”

Knies’s four goals this post-season are second to William Nylander’s five through seven games. That’s on top of 29 in the regular season, fourth on the team. He’s quick to credit his linemates, Matthews and Mitch Marner, for his success.

“Playing with the guys I do brings me a lot of confidence,” said Knies. “I got to play with those guys all the whole regular season almost. It just makes it easier. I learn a lot from those guys, their leadership and their playmaking. It’s contagious. So a lot of credit goes to those two.

“But the puck finding the back of the net is giving me a lot of confidence right now.”

There is probably no player Berube likes talking about more than Knies. So what about Knies impresses him the most?

“His hands,” said Berube. “He’s got great hands in tight. I didn’t know this coming in here. You see the power and the skating and in the physicality and that sort of stuff. But his hands are really good in tight. And that was a great example of it (Monday night) with the goal he scored.”