NHL Insider calls Matthew Knies a ''can't miss'' prospect, says he wants to play now
Last week, Leafs 2021 2nd round pick Matthew Knies had a chance to sit down with TSN's Mark Masters for a one-on-one interview, wherein he revealed that he felt as though he was ready to make the jump to the NHL, though he admitted that his focus was on finishing his first NCAA season and looking ahead to the most important games of his young hockey career.
Knies told Masters that, while he felt he was ready, he hadn't really made a decision yet and would need to sit down with his family and the people closest to him to make a well-informed decision on whether or not he would forego his NCAA career to go pro immediately following the conclusion of his freshman year with the University of Minnesota.
Well, according to TSN's Darren Dreger, there has been some chatter that Knies has, in fact, been leaning towards a decision on his future. Dreger revealed during an appearance on Leafs' Breakfast with the First Up crew that, per his sources, Knies does want to play for the Leafs this season.
If Knies decides that he does indeed want to bypass the NCAA and go pro straight away, there was some speculation that he could play a couple of games and then go straight to the Toronto Marlies to begin his development in the AHL. According to Dreger, that simply does not seem like the case.
The 19-year-old NCAA freshman is already built like an NHLer, at 6'3, 210 pounds, but the speed of the game is different in the NHL. The time that you have to make decisions is decreased. The opposition is bigger, stronger and faster than what Knies would have become accustomed to in the NCAA.
That said, when a player with Knies' build and skill set comes along, you certainly can't blame the Leafs for wanting to see what they have in the Phoenix native up close. He has dominated as a freshman in the NCAA this season, and while it's less likely that he dominates at the NHL level, if he can be an effective NHL player as a 19-year-old, both he and the Leafs can only stand to gain from having him play right away.
Developing at the NHL level is certainly not easy, but with the AHL's Toronto Marlies just up the road, it provides the Leafs with a unique opportunity to be able to move players like Knies and fellow NCAA standout Nick Abruzzese up and down while still being able to keep a close eye on them.
Will Knies turn pro this month and join the Leafs before the end of the season? Or will he elect to return to the NCAA for his sophomore season? We don't have to wait long to find out now.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 4 | 270 ANSWERS NHL Insider calls Matthew Knies a ''can't miss'' prospect, says he wants to play now Can Matthew Knies be a difference-maker for the Leafs in the playoffs? | ||
| Yes | 94 | 34.8 % |
| Not yet | 76 | 28.1 % |
| Any experience he can gain now is a good thing | 100 | 37 % |
| List of polls | ||
