Matthew Knies, sometimes called a “unicorn” by Leafs fans, spoke about his playing style during his appearance on the Morning Cuppa Hockey show with Jonny Lazarus. When Lazarus asked which NHL players he looks up to, Knies named Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche and Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals. “He’s (Rantanen) a bigger player. He’s strong on his skates. He scores. He moves the puck well. He’s poised,” Knies said.At the same time, he said his game is more physical, which made him think of Wilson, who is signed on a seven-year, $45.5 million deal."He's obviously extremely skilled and I think with my size, I think I play a little bit more physical maybe than he does," Knies said. "And so I think that there's not really, you know, maybe a guy like Tom Wilson, too." Lazarus pointed out that no single comparison suits Knies, referring to him as a "unicorn" due to his diverse skill set. Knies didn't completely agree, saying he continues to learn from others.On July 1, Knies signed a six-year deal worth $7.75 million per season. In the 2024-25 regular season, he scored 29 goals and added 29 assists. In the playoffs, he had five goals and two assists in 13 games with nearly 20 minutes of action per game.Toronto picked Matthew Knies 57th in the 2021 NHL draft. He has played two full seasons with the Maple Leafs. He also said coach Craig Berube helped him with puck play, wall work and making better decisions.“He’s helped me a lot in my puck play and my decision-making at lines and my wall play and stuff like that,” Knies said. “Getting more years under my belt with him behind the bench is going to be very beneficial for me.”Matthew Knies still respects Mitch Marner after trade to VegasMatthew Knies says there’s no rivalry with Mitch Marner, even after his trade to the Golden Knights. After signing an eight-year, $96 million deal, Marner was traded to Vegas.Knies spoke on the same episode of Morning Cuppa Hockey and said Marner helped him feel comfortable in Toronto. He called Marner a great teammate and said he made him a better player. Knies added he still respects Marner and does not see any tension.“Obviously, I want to beat (defeat) him, but it’s just business as usual,” he said.Knies said he hopes to catch up with Marner off the ice sometime soon.