Jim Hiller didn't oversell Matthew Knies' camp on Wednesday night. The new Maple Leafs coach called it okay and said there's more in the tank.
"I thought he was better tonight," Hiller said. "He wasn't that dangerous. I think he only ended up with one shot on goal."
He did give the winger some credit. "Took one to the net," Hiller noted, before landing on a lukewarm verdict: "I wouldn't say strongly one way or the other."
Then came the line that matters. "I think there's more there for sure."
That's a coach hired in June telling everyone he expects a different gear from a 23-year-old coming off a 66-point season.
Why isn't that enough? Because the rest of the stat line from 2025-26 was an eyesore.
The ugly rating that follows Knies into Hiller's first camp
Knies finished last season at minus-30. That's a staggering number for a player who also racked up 23 goals and 43 assists.
And that's why Hiller is right to hold back the praise. Points on the sheet lose their shine when the other team keeps scoring with you on the ice.
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It wasn't always like this. In 2024-25, the Phoenix native scored 29 goals and finished with a +7 rating.
He added five goals in 13 playoff games that spring. That's the version Toronto needs back.
A six-foot-three, 232-pound winger with one shot on goal is like a pickup truck that never leaves the driveway. All that horsepower, going nowhere.
The Maple Leafs took him 57th overall in 2021, and he's climbed to 160 points over 240 NHL games since.
His playoff résumé runs 27 games, with eight goals and 14 points.
Hiller's camp has had its share of noise already. Nick Paul left Wednesday's split-squad game against Ottawa after 4:42 and did not return.
The Maple Leafs open the regular season September 29 at home against Montreal. That leaves Knies less than a week to find the gear his coach is asking for.
If he gets there, okay turns into a compliment. If not, the coach who just walked in the door won't stay this polite for long.
Is Jim Hiller right to hold back the praise on Matthew Knies?
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