Yeah not sure I get the hate. Leafs cap crunching needs are well documented and he's someone that can potentially give them 3-6 years of solid top 9 production at a cheap rate. Pretty important for the organization. Feel like Leafs would have no issues dealing him if the return was a Hagel or someone who's going to give multiple cheap years of play.
LW Matthew Knies - Tri-City Storm, USHL (2021, 57th, TOR)
- Thread starter Pavel Buchnevich
- Start date
How many top 6 guys had his production in the NCAA in their D+2…? Expecting him to be a top 6 during his ELC does seem like you’re overrating him.
Shocking that you think he is overrated...
A lot of people who rate prospects have him pretty high.
I think posters like this are just hoping he is overrated.
The facts are, he is producing well, had been nominated for the Hobey Baker, and looked good against professionals at the Olympics.
I think people believe his skillset will translate better than most. He already has an NHL frame which helps.
Peasy
Registered User
Guess we will have to wait and see whos right. I don't expect him to be a top 6 player this year, or even next year, but sometime in his last year of his ELC I would expect him to make the jump.
I remember 90% of people on this site saying that there was no way Bunting would be playing in the Leafs top 6 lol... Look how that turned out.
Theres more to prospects than just points. Knies isn't expected to be an offensive dynamo, but he knows how to play with other skilled players, is great on the forecheck and along the boards, and plays a great in tight game with a nose for the net. A more skilled Zach Hyman.
Coaches Coroner
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Zegs2 and GTA are two posters almost guarenteed to show up in Leaf threads complaining about Leaf fans or shitting on their prospects. Don't feed them, fellas.
If you look at the thread, there isn't that much hype prior to the hobey baker nominations list, then there is a couple...but those are now nearly doubled by posts like yours complaining about Leafs fans over hyping there prospect on a prospect board (something very commonly done, but less commonly thread derailing in other team prospect threads).
Zegs2sendhelp
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He’s generally in the 40-60 spot in most prospect rankings I’ve seen…. But if you read the forums you’d think he was top 10.
Arnt like 80 people nominated for hobby baker…. I mean is he even the best player on his team nominated for the hobey baker ?
Yes I agree he has a desired skill set/play style, and would in theory be a great fit in the leafs line up. I didn’t say he was bad, I didn’t even say he’s overrated league wide , I said he’s overrated on the forums. Which he kinda is
Arthur Morgan
Registered User
from what I understand he's the type of player leafs have needed for a long time. I hope they keep him. not sure why the media keeps pressuring Dubas to include him in a trade.
I can already see this play out. if he doesnt move him they will talk about how big of a mistake it was to not include him to get in on the big available players come TDL
if he does, as soon as hes up it'll be what a mistake it was to trade him and Dubas is a fool
Id rather keep him over acquiring a rental. might be a nice addition once his season ends
I can already see this play out. if he doesnt move him they will talk about how big of a mistake it was to not include him to get in on the big available players come TDL
if he does, as soon as hes up it'll be what a mistake it was to trade him and Dubas is a fool
Id rather keep him over acquiring a rental. might be a nice addition once his season ends
Dion TheFluff
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for U21 players in the NCAA since 2010 his production is right in line with guys like Lee, Kreider, Greenway, and Hayes at the same age... I don't think anybody is expecting him to become a superstar but i don't think it's that farfetched to suggest that he could be a productive middle 6 forward on his ELC either.
Peasy
Registered User
Old video but figure its worth posting again. Does a great job breaking down his game and what to expect from him in the future. Not sure how anyone can watch him and with a straight face say he has a low chance at playing in the top 6 in the NHL, and if not top 6, at least middle 6. Hes the perfect complimentary type of player for top lines.
Doug Prishpreed
Registered User
Teams from every fan base overrate their prospects -- it's natural. Toronto and NYR just have the most fans so we notice it more with them.
40-60 out of all prospects? that's high......
That means he is likely the best prospect on a handful of teams, and the top 2 on most.
No one thinks he is top 10, stop making things up.
His Hobey nomination is a bit of a joke you have to admit . The nomination list is way too long. There are two players on his team that are miles ahead in production / Hobey consideration and who are in their D+1 season.
Knies is a good prospect. Not a bluechip prospect. Anything over and above this is overrating Knies. Anything under this is underrating Knies.
Spoken like someone who only stat watches. Go check some games of his and tell me who the best player is.
Zegs2sendhelp
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I said he’s top prospect in Toronto…. Lol you just trying to argue at this point.
I said he’s rated fine, just a bit overrated on the forums.
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Dr Jan Itor
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3rd best player on a good top line.
2nd best player on a good 2nd line.
Best player on a good 3rd line.
I think he'll be able to fit any of these roles in the NHL.
2nd best player on a good 2nd line.
Best player on a good 3rd line.
I think he'll be able to fit any of these roles in the NHL.
Estimated_Prophet
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I live outside of Toronto and yes the kid is over hyped which is not to say that he is not a good prospect because he is. It isn't as dumb as the Robertson hype at it's peak but my point stands that due to a very poor prospect pool the fan base is heaping too much expectation on the kid. As a Hab fan I am more than familiar with over zealous supporters creating cringe worthy hyperbole about some of their prospects so this is not a tribal reaction but one based in familiarity.
Martin Skoula
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Who cares how internet nerds rate him? You have two pages of people talking about how he’s rated in fantasy trade proposals rather than talking about how he’s actually playing.
Snuggerud and Cooley without a doubt. Cooley is the architect and Knies is the beneficiary.
You can’t get past your Leaf bias.
NCAA Div I head coaches clearly disagree with you. The initial nominees list comes from NCAA Div I head coaches, and they nominated Knies, but they didn't nominate Cooley or Snuggerud: 2023 Hobey Baker Award: Nominees, fan voting and important dates
3 Gophers were nominated - Knies, Faber and LaCombe (Knies was the only Gophers forward nominated).
FWIW, I do think Cooley and Snuggerud are better prospects than Knies (Cooley especially), but there's a strong argument that Knies is better than either right now - that certainly seems to be what NCAA Div I coaches think. He's more physically dominant, drives possession more, and makes fewer mistakes with and without the puck.
The Hobey Baker award selection process is a complicated, multi-step affair. I believe it works like this (someone correct me if I'm wrong about any of this):
1) A big initial nominees list. Nominated by NCAA Div I coaches, I believe each coach nominates the top 3 players in their conference, and top 3 across the nation
2) ... then the nominee list gets whittled down to a top 10. Votes come from a mix of coach and fan votes - Knies is currently #1 in the nation in fan votes, though it's close
3) ... then a top 3. Voted on by the "selection committee" - media/coaches/officials/scouts
4) ... then a winner, also voted on by the "selection committee"
I'll think Knies has a good chance to make the top 10 list, though I think he probably doesn't make top 3.
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Arthur Morgan
Registered User
Yeah, that's roughly my projection too. Basically a solid complementary top 6 winger, but not a star. A guy who's very good at winning the puck, protecting the puck, and generally driving possession. Don't see him having the high end skating/puck skills/creativity to be an NHL star, but I do see those elements of his game being good enough to be a complementary top 6 player, especially when combined with his possession driving game.
