Nick Abruzzese reveals what it was like to play with Matthew Knies at the Olympics
The Toronto Maple Leafs' prospect pool continues to dazzle while the team jockeys for playoff position. Standout talent Matthew Knies leads the charge for the University of Minnesota during the 2022 NCAA Men's Hockey Championship. The 6'3», 210 lbs physical winger from Phoenix, AZ has two goals and an assist through two rounds of tournament action. In addition, Knies' clutch play has catapulted the Gophers to the Frozen Four semi-finals on April 7th at TD Garden.
Fellow Leafs' draft pick Nick Abruzzese recently signed a two-year, entry-level contract carrying an $850,000 cap hit. Abruzzese is familiar with the play of Knies, having watched him first-hand at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. Further, Abruzzese described the skillset of Knies after playing together.
Abruzzese's praise of Knies continued.
I mean he's three years younger than me, but he makes me look like a boy. He's just explosive and really strong on pucks. Athletically, he's really gifted.
Knies is the total package. The budding power forward possesses an elite-level shot, protects the puck well, and likes to throw the body. Moreover, the 57th pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft would bring a playoff-like element to a Leafs' lineup sorely lacking his attributes.
Whether Knies makes his NHL debut this season or not remains to be seen. It sure seems likely and, as the Leafs gear toward a pivotal first-round playoff showdown in the highly contested Atlantic Division, Knies hopes to be a difference-maker if the opportunity does come knocking. Will Knies be the x-factor that helps end the club's 18-year drought and propels them to round two for the first time since the early 2000's? Time will tell.
| POLL | ||
MARS 29 | 322 ANSWERS Nick Abruzzese reveals what it was like to play with Matthew Knies at the Olympics Will the Leafs sign Matthew Knies to his ELC and give him a shot in the NHL this season? | ||
| Definitely | 184 | 57.1 % |
| Probably not | 75 | 23.3 % |
| Don't care, just win baby! | 63 | 19.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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