How Does Auston Matthews Feel About The Leafs Adding Matthew Knies?
The Maple Leafs went uber aggressive during trade season and are about to get another shot in the arm for their upcoming postseason run. Top prospect out of Minnesota Matthew Knies is expected to join Toronto after his collegiate season ends. However, how does the Leafs’ best player Auston Matthews feel about an unproven prospect joining the Leafs at the end of the season?
Matthews is all for it. He seems intrigued about the idea of Knies joining the lineup.
“Yeah of course, I think there’s always that intrigue this time of year,” the reigning Hart Trophy winner told TSN.
“Hopefully the year he’s had kind of gives him some confidence coming in and finishing his season, and seeing where that goes. Jumping in, it’s quite a jump, but obviously he’s a mature young guy and we’ll do everything we can to help him out and give him the best opportunity to succeed.”
Through 37 games with Minnesota, Knies has 41 points in 36 games. The Leafs drafted Knies in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft and he’s on the precipice of winning Big Ten play of the year honors. Knies also played for team USA at World Juniors this past year.
Whenever the Minnesota hockey season ends, Knies will likely join the Leafs lineup as a second or third line left winger. It could be the missing piece to what the Leafs need to finally get out of the first round? Time will tell on that front. Still, it could provide a nice scoring punch on the wing for either John Tavares and or Ryan O’Reilly.
