Matthew Knies

fancy lad

Registered User
Nov 22, 2021
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A Gordie Howe hattrick not something you see on the Leafs team in recent memory.
Especially coming from a “rookie”.

His play was siiiiick in All facets yesterday, but goddam that fight was the highlight for me. you love to see that kind of character and you gotta wonder what was going through the minds of Tavares, matthews, nylander, marner when they see that kind of *cough* leaership and response from a young player.

what a gem knies is turning out to be.
 
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TheShape

Registered User
Oct 25, 2018
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No. I remember it being leaked and majority of leaf fans being pissed that Dubas even entertained that.
I highly doubt Dubas seriously ever entertained that proposal. People have proposed Knies in various trades here for rentals ever since we drafted him, it's crazy. Only now some fans are seeing how good he is. He was always considered untouchable by management.
 

Gary Nylund

Registered User
Oct 10, 2013
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I highly doubt Dubas seriously ever entertained that proposal. People have proposed Knies in various trades here for rentals ever since we drafted him, it's crazy. Only now some fans are seeing how good he is. He was always considered untouchable by management.
I think anyone who saw him play in the playoffs had a pretty good idea of how good he could be. What I was thinking last night was that watching how important him and Liljegren are to this team, how sweet would it be to have had another crack at drafting a major asset with the pick we traded for Foligno. Or what if traded JVR for a 1st back in the day, not to mention all the other picks we've traded away over the years.
 

leafsfan5

Registered User
Jun 14, 2014
14,852
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You often hear how it takes bigger players some time to figure out their size and how to use it, Knies is already using his size extremely effectively. He knows he can destroy people and has been doing it throughout this season

What a draft pick, he's exactly what Toronto needs on the left side as a support player
 

TheShape

Registered User
Oct 25, 2018
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I think anyone who saw him play in the playoffs had a pretty good idea of how good he could be. What I was thinking last night was that watching how important him and Liljegren are to this team, how sweet would it be to have had another crack at drafting a major asset with the pick we traded for Foligno. Or what if traded JVR for a 1st back in the day, not to mention all the other picks we've traded away over the years.
I wasn't a fan of those moves at the time. JVR, Bozak, Gardiner and even arguably Andersen should've been moved for some sort of return at some point. Things were rushed, management didn't stay the course.
 

Jojalu

Registered User
Feb 22, 2019
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I highly doubt Dubas seriously ever entertained that proposal. People have proposed Knies in various trades here for rentals ever since we drafted him, it's crazy. Only now some fans are seeing how good he is. He was always considered untouchable by management.
Pretty sure the story came out this year that both Shanny and Dubas laughed at the proposal.
 

Martin Skoula

Registered User
Oct 18, 2017
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I wasn't a fan of those moves at the time. JVR, Bozak, Gardiner and even arguably Andersen should've been moved for some sort of return at some point. Things were rushed, management didn't stay the course.

1) JVR Bozak Gardiner Komarov and anything else above 27 with value out
2) Don’t spend 2 2nds on 4th line rentals
3) Spend 1 of the 1sts from selling vets + 2 2nds to outbid Tampa for McDonagh + Miller

Didn’t have to choose between continuing to build and getting early playoff experience, could have had both
 
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Mr_Fun

FFS!
Oct 7, 2006
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I highly doubt Dubas seriously ever entertained that proposal. People have proposed Knies in various trades here for rentals ever since we drafted him, it's crazy. Only now some fans are seeing how good he is. He was always considered untouchable by management.

Yeah, I want to see the proof where Dubas came out and said he'd consider trading Knies for Fleury. This just smells like strawman to me.
 

BertCorbeau

F*ck cancer - RIP Fugu and Buffaloed
Jan 6, 2012
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Simcoe County
I think anyone who saw him play in the playoffs had a pretty good idea of how good he could be. What I was thinking last night was that watching how important him and Liljegren are to this team, how sweet would it be to have had another crack at drafting a major asset with the pick we traded for Foligno. Or what if traded JVR for a 1st back in the day, not to mention all the other picks we've traded away over the years.

My biggest what-if was Amirov .. such a tragic story.

He had top 6 winger impact potential. If he didn't have cancer and developed, it would have been interesting to see if he would have given the Leafs' a more justifiable reason to shake up the core.

Or it would have made it easier to deal someone like Robertson for another piece.

Anyway, Knies is really showing some potential. Absolutely love his game.
 

Larcos_Unal

Excuses are for losers
Jul 6, 2007
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Toronto
Always wanted Chris Kreider on the Leafs, a younger model is just what the doctor ordered.
Now we just need him to learn to run goalies :joker:
 
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Thornbury

Registered User
Dec 29, 2019
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I remember making this thread. I knew he was going to be a monster. Just wait another 2-3 years. He just turned 21. He should have went top 10 in the 21 draft.
It was a home run pick, and another example of the team having done its homework and going slightly off the board. His draft year was hampered in the first half by injury and Covid. Our scouts saw him come on in the back half - like Cowan did - and snagged him. He's currently listed at 6' 3" and 217 lbs. As you say, in a couple years he'll likely be up to 225 lbs, and even tougher for opposing D to handle.
 
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Martin Skoula

Registered User
Oct 18, 2017
12,218
17,192
It was a home run pick, and another example of the team having done its homework and going slightly off the board. His draft year was hampered in the first half by injury and Covid. Our scouts saw him come on in the back half - like Cowan did - and snagged him. He's currently listed at 6' 3" and 217 lbs. As you say, in a couple years he'll likely be up to 225 lbs, and even tougher for opposing D to handle.

The other thing is he hasn’t even started getting mean yet. He’ll throw tactical hits for the purpose of winning possession and board battles but he had a few in college where it was clear he just wanted to ruin someone’s night regardless of the puck.
 

Gary Nylund

Registered User
Oct 10, 2013
31,180
24,607
My biggest what-if was Amirov .. such a tragic story.

He had top 6 winger impact potential. If he didn't have cancer and developed, it would have been interesting to see if he would have given the Leafs' a more justifiable reason to shake up the core.

Or it would have made it easier to deal someone like Robertson for another piece.

Anyway, Knies is really showing some potential. Absolutely love his game.
Yes I didn't mention him only because I was commenting on the decisions made to trade away so many picks in the past whereas that was just bad luck for the Leafs, and a tragedy for Amirov. I was thinking of him though, such a sad story.

The other thing is he hasn’t even started getting mean yet. He’ll throw tactical hits for the purpose of winning possession and board battles but he had a few in college where it was clear he just wanted to ruin someone’s night regardless of the puck.
Ooh, I like the sound of that!!
 
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