Younger/as young and smaller players make the (much steeper) transition from the CHL to the AHL every single season and thrive
LW Matthew Knies - Tri-City Storm, USHL (2021, 57th, TOR)
- Thread starter Pavel Buchnevich
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Younger/as young and smaller players make the (much steeper) transition from the CHL to the AHL every single season and thrive
Saxon Eric
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- Dec 18, 2005
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I can confirm after seeing him live last night, difference maker all game, hope he stays in school and stiffs the Leafs!
And bigger and stronger players make the transition poorly. My point is that he can develop on a talented, good program in MN and go straight to the NHL. I don't see the point in moving him to a new team in the AHL prematurely. Let him dominate in the NCAA.
Saxon Eric
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"He *can* develop" "Let him dominate". Sounds like the hopes of a Gophers fan rather than a dispassionate assessment of what's best for the player.
The point is that there's no reason to believe it would be prematurely, and that he would likely be a better player (and financially richer person) for it.
Staying in school wouldn't be the end of the world, and there are arguments for it. But of the three parties involved, the only one that it is unequivocally better for is the school.
Realm
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- Jun 5, 2005
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Leafs GM was in attendance yesterday, had to loved what he saw and probably already had a contract in hand if they lost.
Leafs were smart not to move him. Probably ride shotgun with Matthews and Marner.
3 Minute Minor
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I'm sure I'll get blasted for this so I'm going to throw as many prefaces out there as I can
Knies looks like a steal dropping to Toronto in round 2
He had an unbelievable season
He's one of my favourite players in college hockey right now
I think he should stay 1 more year.
The way he's been hyped, there are basically only 2 ways he can live up to it next season. A) Dominate the Marlies or B) establish himself as a top 6 NHL fwd from day 1. Those are lofty expectations for a guy who had 13 goals and 31 points in 31 college games. I'm going to repeat, he had an unbelievable season. But did he dominate college hockey to the point where he has nothing left to prove or nothing to learn from playing another year of college hockey? IMO no. And if Toronto didn't have a need for a player like Knies in the NHL, would the fanbase be so hungry to see him signed and thrown into the NHL right away? IMO no.
Obviously if he signs, I'm hoping for the absolute best case scenario. But personally I like the idea of my player being over-prepared for the NHL jump based on the countless of examples of guys who looked prepared and had their confidence shattered by jumping too early
Knies looks like a steal dropping to Toronto in round 2
He had an unbelievable season
He's one of my favourite players in college hockey right now
I think he should stay 1 more year.
The way he's been hyped, there are basically only 2 ways he can live up to it next season. A) Dominate the Marlies or B) establish himself as a top 6 NHL fwd from day 1. Those are lofty expectations for a guy who had 13 goals and 31 points in 31 college games. I'm going to repeat, he had an unbelievable season. But did he dominate college hockey to the point where he has nothing left to prove or nothing to learn from playing another year of college hockey? IMO no. And if Toronto didn't have a need for a player like Knies in the NHL, would the fanbase be so hungry to see him signed and thrown into the NHL right away? IMO no.
Obviously if he signs, I'm hoping for the absolute best case scenario. But personally I like the idea of my player being over-prepared for the NHL jump based on the countless of examples of guys who looked prepared and had their confidence shattered by jumping too early
Dr Jan Itor
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He's been great, but better players than him have stayed for a 2nd year.
Pyrophorus
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3 Minute Minor
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AuraSphere
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Really hope we don't rush him - all the fans wanting him to be part of our NHL playoff roster is just madness. I'd be ok with him playing another year in college or Marlies - then slowly transition him to the NHL.
Look at Nick Robertson for example - we keep bouncing him between AHL and NHL - just let him have one dominant rookie season in the AHL (which he's finally doing) - and give him the full time slot next year instead of keeping him as a fringe roster player
Look at Nick Robertson for example - we keep bouncing him between AHL and NHL - just let him have one dominant rookie season in the AHL (which he's finally doing) - and give him the full time slot next year instead of keeping him as a fringe roster player
I am not a big Gopher fan. Seems to me that you think that the AHL is a better path for a 19 yo to develop, and are casting aspersions on anyone who thinks otherwise. I disagree. A 19 yo should stay in school as long as he can. The training facilities in MN are superb, he will be playing with and against good opponents, and will be surrounded by plenty of hockey knowledge and experience. Why rush him?
If all goes well he might be ready to sign and play in the pros by next spring as a 20 yo. That's more than soon enough. That extra year to mature physically and mentally is important.
While it's true that he's a bit of a rarity in the hockey world that in that he's played with his US system school cohort all they way up rather than his DOB, he played the vast majority of this season at 19, and the vast majority of next at 20. He'll be 1 month younger than Robertson was to start this season, and a U21 by most standards in the hockey world.
Had he gone the USNDP route (or even been playing in a high profile AAA system with closer ties to Canada) he would have been playing with his YOB, almost certainly would have fastracked HS and would be wrapping up his sophomore season like the the majority of high profile U20's
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Fair, but he's physically dominant at that level. He goes straight through players in transition and bounces guys without even imposing himself. When he does impose himself, you see sequences like last night's game where he trucks players and steals pucks at will. He's not challenged physically whatsoever.
To be PPG as a D+1 and as physically ahead of his peers as he is, as a rookie in the NCAA, he is ready for pro. He's an older birthday for his draft year and although you can never go wrong with the patient approach for a 19 year old, he's also looked like a difference maker on an Olympic US team.
The Marlies are purely a development farm, more so than other AHL affiliates. The team prioritizes rookie development over wins it seems, which is partly due to an incompetent coach but also a directive from Gillman/Dubas. He'll be playing with a combination of Robertson/Steeves/Ho-Sang/Anderson/Holmberg/etc. and potentially his linemate Ben Meyers if the Leafs can lure him. The Leafs have had success with teenagers in the AHL (Sandin, Liljegren, Robertson).
The only case of "rushing" him would be if they burn a year off his ELC down the stretch and play him on the 4th line as a role player.
Brobust
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- Sep 29, 2017
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I think the leafs need some fresh blood for the 4th line. Low pressure minutes this season, followed by an entire season in the AHL might be an interesting path for him.
The idea of him or Abruzzese playing higher than that is unrealistic and unfair expectations for two very good prospects.
The idea of him or Abruzzese playing higher than that is unrealistic and unfair expectations for two very good prospects.
Subway Schenn
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He's a Matthews-style player - efficient stickhandler with high possession #s, cerebral, gets in the right spots and an underrated physical presence. Bring it on. The Leafs desperately need that edge in their Top 6 moving forward. Will be good for him to get some minutes this year, less than 12 months after his draft!
From Toronto’s perspective I understand wanting to get him under contract. But burning a year would be beyond dumb.
In 2 years Matthews and nylander will be coming up. With Tavares and marner still under contract for another year.
IF they have any hope of keeping the “big 4” they have to weather the raises of Matty and willy for 1 year and then they can cover the costs with Tavares pay cut.
Tavares should take a pay cut of like what 5-7 million? That would cover most of the raises of Matthews marner and nylander
Having knies on an ELC to Bridge the gap would be smart
In 2 years Matthews and nylander will be coming up. With Tavares and marner still under contract for another year.
IF they have any hope of keeping the “big 4” they have to weather the raises of Matty and willy for 1 year and then they can cover the costs with Tavares pay cut.
Tavares should take a pay cut of like what 5-7 million? That would cover most of the raises of Matthews marner and nylander
Having knies on an ELC to Bridge the gap would be smart
Why would Meyers agree to the pressure cooker of Toronto and pay all those extra taxes? I would bet my life he signs with an American team
dj Mahoney
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WhatTheDuck
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He’s Knies’s linemate and a top NCAA FA. Several posts in this thread have him joining Knies and signing with the Leafs this spring which seems unlikely to me
