Prospect Info: 2021 2nd Rd Pick (#57 OA) - Matthew Knies (LW) - Tri-City (USHL)

[AuraSphere]

that would make him first generation American...

Which is what he said…..

My apologies - he said first generation immigrant which I thought referred to as immigrating to Arizona.

 

[81Leafs50]

Just out of curiosity, why do you think he needs 1 year?

I guess I just don't understand why people think this - are they watching him play in the NCAA? What info do they have that our pro scouting and development teams don't (who seem keen on bringing him into the fold)?

just reading off of what the player himself is saying.

 

[TorMapleJays]

Son,

Do you want to play 9 minutes a night in the NHL play offs, have a chance at being the next Cole Caufield, and then playing all next year?

Yes I do.

 

[Tak7]

Son,

Do you want to play 9 minutes a night in the NHL play offs, have a chance at being the next Cole Caufield, and then playing all next year?

Yes I do.

It's funny how many people believe him playing 9 minutes in the NHL is somehow a bad thing in his development.

As if he becomes a flop if he isn't instantly playing top 6 minutes.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Gotta pump the breaks here a little. He's a great prospect but I think you're getting caught up that he's far better than he is.

Knies seems content in playing for the Gophers next season, or else he would have signed the second he could. And that's ok. He's getting hyped into absurd levels right now.

He is probably better than most of those guys (questionable about him being better than Kerfoot or a healthy Kase), but then again, we have guys on the Marlies who are better than Spezza, Simmonds, and Clifford on most nights. It doesn't take a lot to upgrade them.

He is probably not a guy who is going to be a top 6-like upgrade though. The main value would be upgrading our 4th line (either directly, or indirectly by dropping Kerfoot down there again) and ensuring that Simmonds/Spezza only play in specific scenarios.

 

[ULF_55]

Are there some who are concerned he wasn't a 1st. round pick?
If he were top 10 pick would you think age 20 is too young to play a full NHL season? (He'll be 20 in October)
Signing now doesn't mean he has to play in the playoffs.
He might actually be an important asset with their cap situation next year. An ELC even if they gave him an easy performance bonus might be easier to swallow than picking some hopeful from the recycle bin this summer.

 

[Menzinger]

Are there some who are concerned he wasn't a 1st. round pick?
If he were top 10 pick would you think age 20 is too young to play a full NHL season? (He'll be 20 in October)
Signing now doesn't mean he has to play in the playoffs.
He might actually be an important asset with their cap situation next year. An ELC even if they gave him an easy performance bonus might be easier to swallow than picking some hopeful from the recycle bin this summer.

But he wasn't a top 10 pick though, right. He ended up in the second round because there were parts of his game he needed to develop further. He managed to blow past expectations this season (lucky for the Leafs), but he arguably still has work to do. It's very rare for a 2nd rounder to be in the NHL in an impact role by D+2.

I just don't necessarily see the need for the rush at the moment. He's not being a risk of ufa status.

 

[Menzinger]

It's funny how many people believe him playing 9 minutes in the NHL is somehow a bad thing in his development.

As if he becomes a flop if he isn't instantly playing top 6 minutes.

I think for a guy whose ceiling is a top 6 forward, playing 17-20 min a night is ideal at the moment given how recent of a draft pick he is

If he was 22 playing 9 min a night on the 4th line would be just fine. But he's only 20 and still working on his game.

 

[trellaine201]

Have to think the fact that Dubas is meeting him Wednesday is a positive sign?

 

[Smif]

I think for a guy whose ceiling is a top 6 forward, playing 17-20 min a night is ideal at the moment given how recent of a draft pick he is

If he was 22 playing 9 min a night on the 4th line would be just fine. But he's only 20 and still working on his game.

He won't be playing anything at the moment tho...

 

[saltming]

Son,

Do you want to play 9 minutes a night in the NHL play offs, have a chance at being the next Cole Caufield, and then playing all next year?

Yes I do.

The next Caufield, or like 3 or 4 Caufield's rolled into one

 

[therealkoho]

I wonder what Dregers "feeling" now?

 

[LeafChief]

I wonder what Dregers "feeling" now?

Probably a rumble in his stomach. Would explain the shit that consistently spews out of his mouth.

 

[Warden of the North]

Have to think the fact that Dubas is meeting him Wednesday is a positive sign?

The reports seem to indicate that hes going to tell the Leafs hes going to back to school, regardles of it being a face to face meeting.

I just dont want see a situation where he decides to hold out til hes UFA (like Vesey, for example).

 

[trellaine201]

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

The reports seem to indicate that hes going to tell the Leafs hes going to back to school, regardles of it being a face to face meeting.

I just dont want see a situation where he decides to hold out til hes UFA (like Vesey, for example).

Which reports?

 

[Maplebeasts]

The reports seem to indicate that hes going to tell the Leafs hes going to back to school, regardles of it being a face to face meeting.

I just dont want see a situation where he decides to hold out til hes UFA (like Vesey, for example).

You really don't need to worry about him going UFA. He can't for a few more years and he has said nothing but great things about the team and organization in the past. He also is a Matthews fan and has said on the record that he tries to model his game after him.

 

[Once]

Son,

Do you want to play 9 minutes a night in the NHL play offs, have a chance at being the next Cole Caufield, and then playing all next year?

Yes I do.

Three cole Caufields in a trench coat

 

[ULF_55]

But he wasn't a top 10 pick though, right. He ended up in the second round because there were parts of his game he needed to develop further. He managed to blow past expectations this season (lucky for the Leafs), but he arguably still has work to do. It's very rare for a 2nd rounder to be in the NHL in an impact role by D+2.

I just don't necessarily see the need for the rush at the moment. He's not being a risk of ufa status.

We know it doesn't matter where he was drafted, maybe he's just like Bergeron where draft was irrelevant to the player he is.

Perhaps everyone got it wrong, except

Toronto Maple Leafs Select Matthew Knies 57th Overall

The newest addition to the prospect pool is in.

www.pensionplanpuppets.com

HockeyProspect.com’s Black Book for this draft was very favourable about Knies, ranking him 13th (!):

What makes Knies an A rated prospect for us, is that he can blend his frame, on top of his skillset, with an exceptional level of deception. The moniker or term “power forward” still has the original association of barreling down a wing, but that’s how Knies usually operates. He’s not a Vasili Podkolzin or Josh Anderson type of power forward. Don’t get us wrong, we absolutely respect and appreciate the original style of power forwards, but we also have a ton of time for the technical, hybrid power forward game that Knies is developing. When he’s on the rush, he’s not looking to just blow by his opponents all the time, though towards the end of the season he was doing that in spurts too. Often, he was suddenly switching his tempo, making exaggerated spinning postural moves, while simultaneously looking off his teammates before threading well executed passes through layered traffic, after drawing in multiple opponents, as an example. He’s one of the rarest players you can find, in the sense that he can beat the first layer with his speed, frame and range. He can then beat the second layer with his exceptional hands and beat the third layer by using his deception and dual threat attributes. He has it all, but it took him time.

And the Leafs?

My only concern would be skating, and Elite Prospects says:

Projectable NHL skating depth (knees over toes, hips engaged, chest up) and puck control allow him to beat, and occasionally deceive, mobile and confident defenders along the boards.

I don't think taking him out of college will hurt his long term outlook, he either has it or he doesn't.

Having another fun year might be good for him as it will be all business for the next 15 when he's done.

 

[LeafChief]

The reports seem to indicate that hes going to tell the Leafs hes going to back to school, regardles of it being a face to face meeting.

I just dont want see a situation where he decides to hold out til hes UFA (like Vesey, for example).

He would need to go back to school for 3 more full NCAA seasons for that to happen. Not concerned.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

He would need to go back to school for 3 more full NCAA seasons for that to happen. Not concerned.

Worrying about him forcing UFA status at this point is just straight up dooming. It would be pretty bad for his career when you consider he's already manhandling college kids at 19.

 

[horner]

Have to think the fact that Dubas is meeting him Wednesday is a positive sign?

Meeting Meyers to.

 

[francis246]

What I don’t understand is why is there so much pressure to sign the kid right now? The only reason being that they actually want him in the line up and he’s going to play a lot in the playoffs.

Otherwise, it makes more sense to convince him in the summer as he can also sign his ELC during that time period as well.

Clearly the leafs think he is a prospect who can have an immediate impact, otherwise this whole fuss to sign him is pretty dumb.

 

[67Cup]

There are always evaluations of draft pick that turn out to be wrong. Considering the 2021 draft took place in the middle of a pandemic that had thoroughly messed up not one but two seasons of development and evaluation p, the number and extent of the misevaluations in 2021 would likely be much higher than usual. I wouldn’t make too much, all things considered, of where he was drafted.

One year’s worth of post draft development suggests that Knies should have been drafted considerably higher. A poster above reminded us that Hockey Prospects rated Knies at 13 overall. Just a guess on my part, but if there were a redraft, thirteenth might be around where Knies would be selected.

We’ll never know of course, but whether or not that would be the case, I hope Knies keeps on the development trajectory he is following so far.

 

[Tak7]

I think for a guy whose ceiling is a top 6 forward, playing 17-20 min a night is ideal at the moment given how recent of a draft pick he is

If he was 22 playing 9 min a night on the 4th line would be just fine. But he's only 20 and still working on his game.

He's 19. He's not going to get 17-20 minutes.

BUT, playing 9-11 minutes a night, on top of:

• Practicing & being in an NHL dressing room
• Competing against NHL players
• Working with NHL level coaches & skill development staff.

Are all massive advantages that would benefit him massively. The idea that it wouldn't, is absolutely insane.