Knies played two full seasons for the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League (USHL), where he recorded 31 goals and 56 assists in 90 games.

[4] The 2022–23 season saw further success for Knies, notably playing on a top line with fellow NHL prospects Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud that was considered one of the best in college ice hockey.

[7][8] The Golden Gophers reached the national championship game at the 2023 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament, but ultimately were defeated by the Quinnipiac Bobcats in overtime.

[13] The Maple Leafs faced the Panthers in the second round, and Knies scored his first career NHL goal against Sergei Bobrovsky in the opening game of the series on May 2.

[18][19] Knies represented the United States at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he appeared in one game before the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.