Leafs’ Knies won’t play Sunday vs. Utah after high hit

The injury-depleted Toronto Maple Leafs were dealt another blow as head coach Craig Berube announced winger Matthew Knies won’t play on Sunday against the Utah Hockey Club.

Berube told reporters that Knies, forced to leave Wednesday’s game against Vegas after being on the wrong end of a hit, will miss his first game of the season.

The play happened with 12:01 remaining in the second period, as Knies skated through the neutral zone with the puck when Zach Whitecloud seemed to leave his feet, appearing to make contact with the 22-year-old’s chin.

Knies immediately skated to Toronto’s bench as his teammates came to his defence, including blue-liner Simon Benoit, who took Whitecloud down to the ice.

Whitecloud was not penalized for the hit. Knies has been one of Toronto’s best players early on this season, with eight goals and 12 points in 20 games. He’s averaged a career-high 17 minutes of ice time under Berube this year.

It’s unclear when Knies will be ready to return. His next chance is against Florida on Nov. 27.

The 22-year-old joins a long list of injured Maple Leafs, including Auston Matthews, Max Pacioretty, Calle Jarnkrok, David Kampf and Max Domi. Berube said defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson didn’t practice on Friday due to an illness, and the team announced defenceman Philippe Myers was recalled from the AHL.

Berube said Domi, who was placed on injured reserve ahead of Wednesday’s game, has a chance to play on Sunday. Toronto will also be without Ryan Reaves, currently serving a five-game suspension.

The depleted Maple Leafs have been forced to rely on a pair of youngsters, notably Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin, who both debuted on Wednesday. Minten scored his first NHL goal in a 3-0 win against Vegas.

Matthews, who recently travelled to Germany for a second opinion on an injury that has kept him out of action since Nov. 3, could return to the Maple Leafs on Nov. 27 against the Panthers.

Toronto enters Sunday’s game with a 12-6-2 record and is currently first in the Atlantic Division with 26 points.