Player Discussion How are you feeling about Matthew Knies these days?

[Voodoo Child]

He’s been taking stupid hooking penalties - one per game for a while now.

I think he needs to sit and watch a few games to gain some discipline. He took a penalty in the post season in the few games he played.

I’ve noticed the lazy penalties for a while too.

Otherwise big kid, goes to the hard areas and has hands and can finish. The ceiling is high.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

He's been fine. 21-year old who is growing into his body and learning to use it while putting up 28 points is a pretty respectable rookie season.

Since the expectation coming into the season was he was going to be the guy flanking Matthews and Marner and was going to put up 60 points is what is making him look overrated.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Too many fans expecting too much from him as a rook .. to me he beats out Robertson for last playoff spot on forwards but not by much .. he looks tired and worn down by 1st pro season

 

[IPS]

Too many fans expecting too much from him as a rook .. to me he beats out Robertson for last playoff spot on forwards but not by much .. he looks tired and worn down by 1st pro season

He's definitely gonna need the offseason to adjust his game a bit now that he knows just how fast things go in the big leagues. I've noticed he is behind the play a lot lately, sticks out like a sore thumb watching it live.

 

[ACC1224]

He's definitely gonna need the offseason to adjust his game a bit now that he knows just how fast things go in the big leagues. I've noticed he is behind the play a lot lately, sticks out like a sore thumb watching it live.

Yep, pretty noticeable. You don't see the head down, shoulders slumped on tv, almost always looks gassed.

 

[Future]

Too many fans expecting too much from him as a rook .. to me he beats out Robertson for last playoff spot on forwards but not by much .. he looks tired and worn down by 1st pro season

Tired and worn down for sure. After a bit of a resurgence post all-star break, his play has taken a significant decline the last few weeks. The physical is starting to affect the mental.

 

[Darcy Tucker]

Yeah he has been mid given the expectations people heaped on him in college. I still maintain that inserting him into the playoff roster with no experience was a mistake and that the concussion Bennett handed him set back his development exponentially.

He has top 6 potential but he may just end up being a big body in the bottom six who gets 15 goals a season.

 

[Fogelhund]

Kid has a lot of potential, but he also has a lot to learn. He's going to need a Pro offseason, to develop more, learn how to shoot better, and be more effective in positioning. I love his strength, and his work ethic, and he's going to be a good player for us... but he's struggled as of late. We need more from him for sure.

 

[sxvnert]

Too many fans expecting too much from him as a rook .. to me he beats out Robertson for last playoff spot on forwards but not by much .. he looks tired and worn down by 1st pro season

Fans aren't the ones who gave him a top spot for months.

 

[I am Canadian]

Thought he would be about a 40 point player. Once he cleans up the tripping & hooking penalties he's going to be a lot more effective. He's already a physical force out there with good speed & hands.

I think he's a 25G, 35A 60P player in the future

 

[fahad203]

He should have spent the entire year at AHL
It didn't help that he was on top line all year, facing the best of oppositions

He needed sheltered minutes and I think he played too many games

 

[horner]

he should have been playing on the 3rd line.
I find he's trying to do to much when he has the puck he needs to simplify his game .
He will be better next year

 

[Aashir]

tbh he's about what I expected offensively before I suckered into the hype

35-40 points, even with matthews and marner. He hopefully improves thta aspect of his game and can reach 55-60 in his best years

I am incredibly disappointed in his dzone work, especially his thinking. Too many times he makes errand passes or skates the puck into awful positions. That's not to mention his awful penalty takes.

I don't think I'd have him for sure on the playoff starting lineup. His dzone play really leaves a lot to be desired, and he isn't a superstar offensive player who can make up for his missplays

 

[Clark4Ever]

Power forwards of his ilk tend to come into their own in their mid to late 20's.

We have to be patient with him, but I think he's progressed fine so far.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

In the future, there's no reason why he can't play a game like Hyman/Bunting and literally live in the crease making life hell for the opposing goalie. He's a step behind right now, he's doing a lot and accomplishing nothing.

If we had any kind of LW depth I'd be down for giving him a couple of games off to rest and reset. He's playing what, double the amount of games he's used to playing in college?

 

[Da Cool Rula]

Rookie wall

 

[Maple Leaf]

I expected more of a Matthew Tchathcuk type

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I expected more of a Matthew Tchathcuk type

Wha ?

Tkachuk is ALOT faster

Rookie wall

And

Trying to hard, getting too many penalties.

 

[Menzinger]

He's been fine. 21-year old who is growing into his body and learning to use it while putting up 28 points is a pretty respectable rookie season.

Since the expectation coming into the season was he was going to be the guy flanking Matthews and Marner and was going to put up 60 points is what is making him look overrated.

Depending on how many playoff games he plays in he may end up literally playing 2x the amount of games he did during a single season in college. It takes time for the body to adjust to that

Ideally he be developed a bit lower in the lineup,.but he's tracking to eventually develop into that big bodies top six forward the team has been needing.

The only problem is if one expected him to have the development curve of a top 10/5 1st round pick. Marner and Nylander were only 60 point rookies. That wasn't going to happen for a guy taken in the 2nd round. Still, he's developing far more rapidly than most guys from that range.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Fans aren't the ones who gave him a top spot for months.

When you watch him live at Scotia pretty much every game you will notice he is having a much harder time on da backcheck as season has progressed .. his forecheck is still ok/good but he is getting gassed on way back .. not a big deal as it happens to a lot of college kids who don't have to grind it out every day like kids coming out of da O .. most learn da trade in O or E or A but he has not had that privilege .. he will train harder in summer and come back stronger .. i really like his game .. nice pick up .. Keefer best now to rest him up for playoffs as we gonna need him .. play Robertson more now as he needs da reps

 

[LeafEgo]

Playing with the likes of Matty and Marner first year isn't going to be great for every rookie. Adjusting to the new speed and pace of the nhl can be pretty difficult in that setting - most of the league can't keep up with those two. And also there's the opposing shutdown/top lines closing up his space.

He can hit hard and watching the big man roof that breakaway early in the season shows signs of promise. Some easier minutes in the bottom six might be good to help him figure out the new environment and get there.

 

[CelticDruid]

He needs a full year in the AHL, or until he is the"man" dominating the league.

I can see him getting a thick head already because KEEFE will not bench him when his mistakes cost the team.

Stick him on the fourth line till he shows some enthusiasm for his job.

 

[darrylsittler27]

The truth is we rushed him. He isn't even a top rookie.

 

[Stephen]

Knies needs some load management and take a breather. He went on a power forward dash in the NJ game and forgot to gain center ice before chipping it in. Causing a completely unforced icing.

He and Robertson are also very dangle happy and over handle the puck. You can see with either fatigue or just whatever it is that he’s not always making the quickest smart decisions.

Just let him rest up a bit and take a pause for a couple of games.

 

[Maple Leaf]

The truth is we rushed him. He isn't even a top rookie.

Wow