Watch: Knies working with skills coach before he makes the trip back to Canada
Toronto Maple Leafs rookie, Matthew Knies, was spotted working with skills coach Brian Slugocki in Arizona this week, with the latter had posting some videos on Twitter. The two have been working together this summer in preparation for when Knies returns to Toronto in anticipation of training camp next month.
Slugocki's tweet reads:
"Great to get back on the ice for a few weeks with
@matthewknies before he heads up north for his rookie season with the @mapleleafs"
"It was incredible to see him jump right in before and during the playoffs, have success at that level and continually get better each game."
Slugocki is no slouch nor he is an unknown within the Toronto Maple Leafs organization as he has worked with Auston Matthews and Sam Lafferty in the past.
Knies is expected to make the team out of training camp and be a strong supporting player in the team's middle six in his official rookie season. He scored 21 goals and 42 points in 40 games for the University of Minnesota last year, where he was named Big Ten Player of the Year.
He then made the leap to the NHL after his collegiate season ended, recording an assist in 3 regular season games and then 1 goal and 4 points in 7 postseason games in his first taste of playoff action.
Unfortunately for the youngster he was forced out of the second round after a nasty altercation with Florida Panthers forward, Sam Bennett. He was diagnosed with a concussion and was ruled out for the subsequent games.
With a top-9 spot almost set in stone and power play time expected, Knies could be a contender for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the league's top rookie, if Connor Bedard doesn't run away with it.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 5 | 210 ANSWERS Watch: Knies working with skills coach before he makes the trip back to Canada Will Matthew Knies start the season in the top six or bottom six in 2023-24? | ||
| Bottom six | 66 | 31.4 % |
| Top six | 135 | 64.3 % |
| I'll do you one better... Top LINE | 9 | 4.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
