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

[Stephen]

I replied to someone else about it, but it's worth pointing out that quite a lot of teams seem to be doing this with the college kids - I think 5 or 6 college guys made their debuts league wide last night.

I do think there's value in getting these kids over & getting a closer look at them, and integrating them into a development program etc.

To me, it's more just novelty factor and impatience.

 

[Cor]

There should really be no difficult decision here. I HAVE to imagine it was posturing to get a max rookie deal

You take the NHL spot, guaranteed money and then do your courses online during the off-season. Especially since the plan if he doesn’t sign now seems to be to sign next year, so he ain’t finishing his degree in school regardless.

 

[horner]

Kadri will be gone at the end of the year.

He's a 2nd line C already.
I wold think he would start of on the wing.

 

[horner]

There should really be no difficult decision here. I HAVE to imagine it was posturing to get a max rookie deal

You take the NHL spot, guaranteed money and then do your courses online during the off-season. Especially since the plan if he doesn’t sign now seems to be to sign next year, so he ain’t finishing his degree in school regardless.

Yep 1st rd money

 

[TMLAM34]

You’d think Knies would want to sign. Guaranteed money and he can always do his courses during the off-season or online or even return to school in a few years if hockey doesn’t pan out for whatever reason.

Right now he has the opportunity to step in and play on the wing with a guy like Tavares. Not many college players get that kind of opportunity right off the bat.

 

[MNState0fHockey]

People keep saying they don't see the rush, but I just don't see the hesitation. Why let him waste a year in a league where he is already physically dominating. Hard to learn when you have 30lbs on most of your opponents.

I'm hoping we see him in a higher league where he won't be able to bulldoze his way to success. Every time I watched him this year I kept asking myself if his habits were going to keep working at higher levels where everyone is big and strong.

I am not making an argument for or against him signing right now, but I am not quite sure where you get that he was "physically dominating" at the NCAA level? The Gophers got physically manhandled by an older Minnesota State team and apart from the early goal off a MSU turnover, no one on the Gophers really dominated that game. I would say Knies came into NCAA hockey more prepared physically than most freshmen do, but I would not go so far as to say he physically dominated play.

No doubt in my mind that you are getting a special player in Knies. And no doubt in my mind that he would probably do alright if he turned pro this year. However, there is also no doubt in my mind that he would continue to develop just fine playing a top 5 strength of schedule (which the UMN always does) against older players in the NCAA.

I will be cheering for him regardless of what he chooses.

 

[Jojalu]

Man I wish we'd pump the brakes on our prospects sometimes. It just gets too ridiculous, too soon

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 (!):



And the Leafs?

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


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.

It would be great if the Leafs hit a HR the second round.

I am always dreaming they pull off some Jays magic finding a Bautista/Edwin/Teoscar in the draft or via trade.

 

[Menzinger]

People keep saying they don't see the rush, but I just don't see the hesitation. Why let him waste a year in a league where he is already physically dominating. Hard to learn when you have 30lbs on most of your opponents.

I'm hoping we see him in a higher league where he won't be able to bulldoze his way to success. Every time I watched him this year I kept asking myself if his habits were going to keep working at higher levels where everyone is big and strong.

His NCAA competition isn't usually that small (most teams cores are in that 20-23 year old range). It's not like he's in a men amongst boys situation like you see in juniors sometimes when they face a bunch of teenagers.

 

[SprDaVE]

There should really be no difficult decision here. I HAVE to imagine it was posturing to get a max rookie deal

You take the NHL spot, guaranteed money and then do your courses online during the off-season. Especially since the plan if he doesn’t sign now seems to be to sign next year, so he ain’t finishing his degree in school regardless.

It's not about classes and school. It's about development, and probably his ability to go back to a familiar environment to perhaps win a championship with players and a staff he knows.

 

[CupcakeSprinkles]

I personally wouldn't leave if I were him. He's literally going to get any girl on campus living his best life in University. This is an American kid with a different value system. He's going to frat out for a year and love his life.

 

[The Masters]

I personally wouldn't leave if I were him. He's literally going to get any girl on campus living his best life in University. This is an American kid with a different value system. He's going to frat out for a year and love his life.

ya then blow ur knee and ur finished. **Reverse Jinx**
millions of dollars at stake. he's got the nhl as his goal like every young hockey athlete. its right there , u dont fk around with a frat year

 

[CupcakeSprinkles]

ya then blow ur knee and ur finished. **Reverse Jinx**
millions of dollars at stake. he's got the nhl as his goal like every young hockey athlete. its right there , u dont fk around with a frat year

Realistically, if Knies blew his knee out.. they'd still sign him on an ELC given his current sample size and he'd make millions while having another college year experience.

 

[Warden of the North]

Unless "some time" means by Thursday, I don't think he signs with us this year. Clocks ticking, delaying doesn't make any sense if the goal is to play this season

 

[ER89]

I personally wouldn't leave if I were him. He's literally going to get any girl on campus living his best life in University. This is an American kid with a different value system. He's going to frat out for a year and love his life.

you think he couldn't get chicks as a leaf? Also what the f*** type of priorities are these lmao?

 

[Mess]

Unless "some time" means by Thursday, I don't think he signs with us this year. Clocks ticking, delaying doesn't make any sense if the goal is to play this season

Agreed if his heart was leaning towards signing and leaving, then taking more time to decide actually indicates the opposite to me also.. IMO

Seems more like the wants to stay in college and not wanting to disappoint Leafs is what he is really struggling with in this case.

 

[djdev]

I personally wouldn't leave if I were him. He's literally going to get any girl on campus living his best life in University. This is an American kid with a different value system. He's going to frat out for a year and love his life.

lol ye im sure young, rich(or heading that direction)pro hockey players on television every other night are striking out all kinds with college girls

 

[Stephen]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of Knies being "The Man" in college and have that lead dog experience baked into his hockey DNA a little longer.

 

[Cor]

It's not about classes and school. It's about development, and probably his ability to go back to a familiar environment to perhaps win a championship with players and a staff he knows.

Yeah and if your team believes in you enough to fly to you to pitch you, then you should probably take it as a sign that you are ready for the next step.

 

[29Potvin]

Lets see...hang with my buddies and try and win the frozen four in college or take a possible run at a Stanley Cup with one of the most storied franchise in hockey?
Not saying it wouldn't be tough decisions but its not like the Leafs are in a rebuild or fighting for a spot.
If the team can sell him on being a black ace and getting a shot in our top six for a cup i would be hard pressed to pass that up.

 

[horner]

He has had a week of from the frozen four, enough time to talk to his parents.
Meeting the leaf brass today .
His decision is all tied to money.
He wants top 10 pick money .
Bonuses if they can be tied to the contract.

 

[VanW27]

He has had a week of from the frozen four, enough time to talk to his parents.
Meeting the leaf brass today .
His decision is all tied to money.
He wants top 10 pick money .
Bonuses if they can be tied to the contract.

The only negotiation point is performance bonuses (schedule A and schedule B), everything else is just a formality for an ELC player. If you're highly touted you get max money and max signing bonus, if you're not you get a small amount less.

Leafs have pushed to get players to forgo the performance bonus as they impact the cap situation, particularly if you go into LTIR. Who knows if that's the hold-up but that's the only thing that there is to negotiate. Even those shouldn't matter much, he's not hitting any of the schedule B ones that are worth up to 2 million (they're like top 10 in scoring, win the Hart/Art Ross, etc).

 

[francis246]

He has had a week of from the frozen four, enough time to talk to his parents.
Meeting the leaf brass today .
His decision is all tied to money.
He wants top 10 pick money .
Bonuses if they can be tied to the contract.

I don’t even think it’s just that, I think it’s also where in the lineup is he gonna play. I wouldn’t be shocked if he wants to play on the 2nd or 3rd line. But the fact that this is a media circus is such a joke. Just sign or don’t.

 

[Dekes For Days]

He scored a goal in the bubble but then they scratched him in the elimination game having pumped his tires for the whole training camp back. It’s just an impatient, new toy approach.

He was the best available option as an injury replacement. The injured player came back for the elimination game. There's nothing "impatient" about that.

 

[horner]

If he signs can he play in the playoffs.

 

[SprDaVE]

If he signs can he play in the playoffs.

Yes