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Matthew Knies

Matthew Knies Will Not Return To Game Two

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies will not return to game two after suffering what appears to be an injury in the first period. The Maple Leafs public relations tweeted the news midway through the first intermission of tonight’s game. Knies appeared to hit the back of his head hard on the ice after he and Sam Bennett got tied up behind the Florida Panthers net. Bennett forcefully wrestled Knies down to the ice and skated away while Knies was slow to exit the Panthers zone before returning to the Maple Leafs bench and heading down the runway.

Although Knies played in just three regular season games for Toronto he has been a central piece of their playoff push thus far with four points in six games coming into this evening. Knies was one of the big reasons the Leafs came to life in game one after falling behind to the Panthers as his first career NHL goal ignited the home crowd and started the Leafs push in a failed attempt at a comeback.

Knies suffered an upper body injury earlier this season when he was still playing NCAA hockey but didn’t miss game action and eventually signed with the Leafs before playing three regular season games. Should Knies be out long term it could deal a huge blow to the Maple Leafs who have given Knies a lot of responsibility very early in his career. The 20-year-old played almost 15 minutes in game one and was one of the few Maple Leafs who were able to match the Panthers level of physicality.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Matthew Knies

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed prospect forward Matthew Knies to an entry-level contract, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. Per his report, Toronto will register his contract today. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Knies’ contract will carry a $925k average annual value. CapFriendly later confirmed Friedman’s report, adding that the contract will pay Knies $832,500 in base salary, $92,500 in signing bonuses, and $80,000 in minors salary each season of the three-year deal. He will be a restricted free agent in 2025.

The Maple Leafs have kept an open contract slot within their 50-man limit for Knies to join the team at the conclusion of his season with Minnesota, and after the Gophers’ heartbreaking overtime loss in the National Championship game, the opportunity to put pen to paper finally arose.

Knies, 20, is a six-foot-three power forward who was selected 57th overall at the 2021 NHL draft. He’s scored at or above a point-per-game rate in both of his seasons at Minnesota, and this year he was one-third of one of hockey’s most promising lines alongside 2022 first-rounders Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud.

A Hobey Baker Award finalist, Knies’ signing with Toronto gives him the opportunity to make his NHL debut and potentially figure into head coach Sheldon Keefe’s lineup equation for the team’s high-stakes first-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

While it’s unknown whether the Maple Leafs would be comfortable inserting a rookie with only a few NHL games under his belt into their lineup for such an important series, Knies is the sort of talented, versatile player who could quickly make their decision very easy.

Before that point comes, though, Knies will have to get his feet wet in the NHL. He reportedly flew to Minnesota with the rest of the Minnesota roster after last night’s game, but according to ESPN’s John Buccigross will be flying to Florida to join the Maple Leafs, who play Florida tomorrow and Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs already boast an embarrassment of riches in their forward corps, with a group of attackers that collectively can stand among the league’s deepest and most talented. This addition of Knies only adds to that impressive group, and if Knies lives up to the considerable hype could be a factor that finally brings Toronto to their long-awaited playoff series victory.

Adam Fantilli Wins 2023 Hobey Baker Award

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It was a banner year for Wolverines center Adam Fantilli and he was rewarded for his efforts on Friday by winning the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in the NCAA.  He beat out Golden Gophers forwards Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies.

Fantilli’s freshman year was nothing short of dominant with Michigan.  The 18-year-old leads the NCAA in scoring this season with 30 goals and 35 assists in 36 games; he collected at least a point in all but three of his appearances.  That also helped him take home National Rookie of the Year honors earlier today.  Fantilli also suited up at the World Juniors for Canada where he picked up five points in seven contests.  His performance this season has him as the consensus second-overall selection in the upcoming draft in June.

Cooley was the third-overall pick by the Coyotes last summer and had a dominant freshman year, notching 22 goals and 38 assists in just 38 games for the University of Minnesota with one more contest to come tomorrow in the championship game.  That puts him second in college scoring this season behind only Fantilli.  Cooley also dominated at the World Juniors with seven goals and seven assists in just seven games and while that had no bearing on the voting for this award, the Coyotes have to be thrilled with the progression of their top prospect.  It’s possible that he’s a one-and-done player with a decision on that front to come likely early next week.

Knies, a second-round pick of the Maple Leafs back in 2021, has been one of the more prominent power forwards at the NCAA level while often playing alongside Cooley on the Golden Gophers.  The 20-year-old has 21 goals and 21 assists in 39 games this season, good for a tie for 15th in NCAA scoring, and can add to those totals tomorrow against Quinnipiac.  It’s widely expected that he will turn pro after Saturday’s championship game with his entry-level deal likely to begin immediately, giving Toronto a bit of extra depth heading into the first round against Tampa Bay later this month.

Fantilli becomes the third Wolverine to win the award since it was first handed out in 1981, joining former NHL players Brendan Morrison (1997) and Kevin Porter (2008).

Last year’s winner of the award was goaltender Dryden McKay.  An undrafted free agent, McKay eventually signed a two-year AHL deal with Toronto.  A full history of Hobey Baker Award winners can be found here.

Hobey Baker Award Finalists Announced

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The three finalists for this year’s Hobey Baker Award are Adam Fantilli, Matthew Knies and Logan Cooley, according to Steven Ellis of DailyFaceoff.

Fantilli, a freshman at the University of Michigan, is considered a top prospect for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and led all NCAA scorers with 64 points (29G, 35A) in 35 games, finishing seven points ahead of Cooley for the top spot. Fantilli has been able to further cement his status as a likely lottery selection in the draft, and adding the Hobey Baker would only solidify that standing.

Cooley, the No. 3 overall pick by the Arizona Coyotes last summer, had 57 points (20G, 37A) in 37 games for the University of Minnesota. Cooley’s strong showing this season has given the Coyotes more reason to believe they have a potential No. 1 center in their organization. His 14 points in 7 games at the World Junior Championships for the US also showed he has an ability to perform in pressure situations. Cooley might be looking to join the pro ranks if he can claim this year’s Hobey Baker.

Knies, a 2021 second-rounder by the Toronto Maple Leafs, finished tied for 19th in NCAA scoring with 41 points (21G, 20A) in 38 games playing alongside Cooley at Minnesota. Knies, a sophomore, built on a strong freshman campaign that saw him record 15 goals and 18 assists in 33 games. As a member of an organization annually tight with the salary cap, Knies has begun to develop into a player who could make an impact in the NHL while on an entry level contract. It remains to be seen when Knies will decide to turn pro, but winning the Hobey Baker could accelerate that process.

The winner of the Hobey Baker Award will be announced on Friday, April 7.

Top-10 Finalists Announced For 2023 Hobey Baker

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With the end of collegiate hockey calendar approaching, the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award have been announced. The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country and has an impressive line of winners. In 2014, Johnny Gaudreau, Jack Eichel, Cale Makar, and Cole Caufield have all taken it home over the last decade, with each going on to star at the professional level.

Goaltender Dryden McKay, last year’s winner, is currently playing with the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL, after a history career at Minnesota State-Mankato. McKay posted a .932 save percentage and 26 shutouts across 140 college games, winning 113 of them.

The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller, and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.

Earlier this year, 87 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and today that number has been reduced to just ten. These ten players will be narrowed to just three, a process that anyone can be a part of by participating in the fan vote. Votes will be added to the decision from a selection committee to produce three finalists, from which a winner will be crowned.

The top 10 finalists are as follows, with the NHL organization that owns their draft rights in parenthesis:

Logan Cooley, University of Minnesota (Arizona Coyotes)

Adam Fantilli, University of Michigan (2023 draft eligible)

Sean Farrell, Harvard University (Montreal Canadiens)

Collin Graf, Quinnipiac University (undrafted)

Lane Hutson, Boston University (Montreal Canadiens)

Matthew Knies, University of Minnesota (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Devon Levi, Northeastern University (Buffalo Sabres)

Yaniv Perets, Quinnipiac University (undrafted)

Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech University (undrafted)

Jason Polin, Western Michigan University (undrafted)

Morning Notes: Knies, Shore, Studenic

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the teams rumored to be interested in several top names at the trade deadline, but they might have their late-season addition already in the system. Matthew Knies has 17 goals and 31 points in 30 games this year for the University of Minnesota and is “likely” to sign with the Maple Leafs at the end of the college season, according to Joshua Kloke of The Athletic.

Knies also joined Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill and explained he believes he can be a production pro player this spring, after choosing to go back to college last year. The 20-year-old winger recently came in at No. 42 in Scott Wheeler’s ranking of the best drafted prospects across the league.

  • Devin Shore has been sent back to the AHL once again, leaving the Edmonton Oilers with the opportunity to activate Kailer Yamamoto if they can clear just $1.125MM in cap space. That happens to be the exact amount that is buried when a player costing more than that is sent to the minor leagues. Jesse Puljujarvi remains the most likely player to be waived, though there are countless other ways the Oilers could clear the room, including the trade market.
  • Speaking of bouncing back and forth, Marian Studenic is on his way back to the Texas Stars today. The 24-year-old forward played fewer than ten minutes for the Dallas Stars yesterday, his third appearance of the season. As one of the few teams not currently using long-term injured reserve relief, Dallas can bank cap space between games by reducing their roster as much as possible.

Atlantic Notes: Toronto’s Trade Chips, Senators, Paul

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The Maple Leafs are certainly going to be looking to buy heading into next month’s trade deadline but as a result of the team making some splashes in recent years, their prospect pool and collection of draft picks isn’t the deepest to deal from.  Speaking with reporters today (video link), GM Kyle Dubas indicated that he can’t see the team dealing away their top chips, either their first-round pick or top prospect Matthew Knies.  He wouldn’t entirely rule out the idea of one of those pieces moving but for the time being, it appears that they’re not going to be in play.  Toronto has three other guaranteed selections plus potentially their own third-round pick depending on if Arizona opts to take it or a 2025 second-rounder as part of a previous swap.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Still with the Maple Leafs, while Knies has been speculated to be turning pro at the conclusion of his college season, he told TSN’s Mark Masters that he hasn’t decided which route to take yet and will wait until after Minnesota’s campaign comes to an end before considering his decision. The 20-year-old averaged a point per game in his rookie year last season and is ahead of that pace in 2022-23 with 17 goals and 13 assists in 28 contests.
  • Senators defenseman Artem Zub is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). He has been out for a little under a month with a lower-body injury, his third extended absence of the season which has limited him to just 21 games so far.  Meanwhile, Garrioch tweets that while goalie Cam Talbot also skated today, he won’t play this weekend.  The veteran is dealing with a lower-body issue of his own and with Ottawa potentially wanting to move him by next month’s deadline, they’ll want to be cautious and make sure he’s fully healthy before bringing him back.  Talbot has retroactively been moved to injured reserve but can be activated as soon as he’s ready to return.
  • Lightning winger Nick Paul was a late scratch before tonight’s game against Colorado with the team announcing (Twitter link) that he’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old has been a capable secondary scorer in his first season with the team, notching 16 goals with 10 assists in 50 games.  Notably, with less than $720K in LTIR room per CapFriendly, Tampa Bay does not have enough space to call up a replacement for him on the roster.

Tristan Broz, Cruz Lucius Leaving University Of Minnesota

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What is happening in Minneapolis? Fresh off of a Frozen Four appearance, the University of Minnesota is having a nightmare offseason – and the hits continue. Freshman Tristan Broz (PIT), and 2021 second-round pick, has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after just one year, while incoming freshman Cruz Lucius, a promising 2022 draft-eligible prospect, has de-committed and will play elsewhere next season.

Lucius follows older brother Chaz Lucius out of town; after previously committing to return to the Gophers next season, the 2021 first-rounder reversed course last week and signed his entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Chaz joined Ben Meyers (COL)and Blake McLaughlin (ANA) in leaving Minnesota for the pros, but NHL departures are to be expected for such a talented team. The real shock comes in the transfer market, as Broz makes it seven players to enter the portal since the end of the season. That list includes Jack Perbix (ANA), Ben Brinkman (DAL), and Grant Cruikshank, who had just transferred to Minnesota for this past season. Add in the younger Lucius’ de-commitment and the Gophers are bleeding talent.

Fortunately for the program, there is still plenty of talent to go around. Ryan Johnson (BUF) is expected to return for his senior year to lead a roster that (for now) is set to return Matthew Knies (TOR), Jackson LaCombe (ANA), Sammy Walker (TBL), Bryce Brodzinski (PHI), Rhett Pitlick (MTL), Aaron Huglen (BUF), Mike Koster (TOR), and Brock Faber (LAK). They also add an impressive recruiting class that includes Cal Thomas (ARI) and 2022 first round hopefuls Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Ryan Chesley. 

The Gophers are also not the only programs falling victim to the transfer portal. The May 1st deadline to enter the portal and be eligible to play next season has now passed, but just beforehand two other NHL prospects hit the transfer market. Ryder Donovan (VGK) has decided to move on from Wisconsin, while John Fusco (TOR) has opted to leave Harvard.

Matthew Knies To Return To University Of Minnesota

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After losing to Minnesota State in this year’s Frozen Four, Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect Matthew Knies won’t be signing his entry-level contract with the team this season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. Toronto’s second-round pick in 2021 will instead opt to return to the University of Minnesota for at least another season in search of a national championship.

The 19-year-old Knies took a seismic step forward in his development this season, his first year with the University of Minnesota after a pair of seasons with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. Using his 6’3″, 205-lb frame to his advantage, the dynamic power forward was named to the Big Ten Conference’s All-Rookie Team and Second All-Star Team. He finished the season with 15 goals, 18 assists, and 33 points in 33 games, also adding a goal and an assist in four games while playing for the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

For Minnesota, this is a huge boost to their chances at a national championship next season. He’ll be there to help mentor a strong incoming class that includes top 2022 American prospect Logan Cooley, as well as potential first-round selections Ryan Chesley and Jimmy Snuggerud. With Hobey Baker finalist Ben Meyers opting to turn pro with the Colorado Avalanche, Knies is left as the bonafide best forward on the team as they aim for another strong season in 2022-23.

For any Maple Leafs fans concerned about Knies’ future in the organization, though, there’s little to worry about. While the organization believed Knies was ready to make the jump to turn pro, as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports, the team supports his decision. It’s important to remember that expectations have skyrocketed for the 51st overall selection over the past few months, and while he would add to the team’s forward depth in the short term, Knies and the team have his long-term interests in mind.

Toronto Maple Leafs To Meet With Matthew Knies

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The Toronto Maple Leafs already signed Nick Abruzzese out of the college ranks and quickly inserted him into the lineup, where he has played three games so far. The Harvard alum is still waiting for his first NHL point, but looks like a key part of the depth chart as they head toward the playoffs. Another name that could potentially have an impact down the stretch is Matthew Knies, the standout freshman from Minnesota who is one of the biggest risers from the 2021 draft.

Darren Dreger of TSN reports that Knies is expected to meet with Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas tomorrow to discuss his future, though several reports have indicated to this point (including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet) that he is leaning toward a return to school for another season. Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was asked about the young forward today, and explained his excitement to reporters including David Alter of The Leafs Nation:

He’s obviously a player we’re excited about. He’s had a monster season in college hockey, not just college hockey but World Juniors, Olympics. He’s really made his mark. We’re very excited about him and having him in the organization. Obviously, we’re going through a process right now and sorting through what’s going to be the net step for him. Our focus remains what’s happening here. When the time is right for him, of course we’ll welcome him. This season, down the line, whenever that may be. They’re going to go through that process. 

Knies, 19, fell to the Maple Leafs at No. 57 in last year’s draft after an uninspiring 2020-21 season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. His size and skill were an intriguing package though, and he showed exactly why when he hit the college circuit. In 33 games as a freshman with the Golden Gophers, Knies scored 15 goals and 33 points, becoming arguably the team’s most dangerous player by the end of the season. He also was given a chance to play at the Olympics for Team USA, where he recorded a goal and an assist in four games.

The question of course is whether another year of development at Minnesota would be beneficial, especially since the team is still loaded with talent. Brock Faber decided to return, instead of signing with the Los Angeles Kings, and others like Ryan Johnson and Jackson Lacombe have yet to make their decisions. It’s not even clear how much opportunity would be waiting in Toronto right away, given how deep their forward group already is.

Notably, the Maple Leafs did leave room in terms of contract slots for this very situation. Knies could take one of those slots, burn the first year of his entry-level contract and reach restricted free agency a year early. Whether that would be the best for his career in general still remains to be seen.

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