The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Matthew Knies to a six-year, $46.5 million contract earlier in the offseason locking him up as part of the team’s core for the future. They expected him to take up more responsibility after Mitch Marner’s departure.
In 23 games played so far, Knies has scored 26 points. According to NHL insiders Jeff O’Neill and Darren Dreger on TSN’s Quiz segment on Tuesday, the 23-year-old will be restricted to an above-average player.
“Oh, I’m going to make-beleaf[believe] on this one,” O’Neill said. “I don’t want to be a buzzkill on this question, but I think he’s going to end up being a 30/30 guy, which is still a great NHL winger. I just I don’t see him in that next level above that.”
They concluded that while there are multiple generationally talented players in the NHL, Knies will not share the same levels as some of the best in the sport.
“Make-BeLeaf[Believe],” Dreger said. “Question, how many elite players does every team, each team in the National Hockey League have? It’s become a word like generational.
“There can’t be a hundred generational players in the NHL. He’s a very good first-liner. He’s a power forward. He’s not quite elite.”
With Marner gone, Knies has had an increase in average total time on ice per game. Compared to last season, he has had 1:53 increase. His shooting percentage, however, has decreased from 19.1% to 11.3%, while he is getting more time on power play and penalty kill and shots on goal has risen from 1.8 to 2.2 per game.
Matthew Knies-Quinn Hughes trade floated by NHL insider
Last week during TSN’s Overdrive segment, O’Neill’s co-host Bryan Hayes stated that with the Canucks looking to listen to trades for their players, the Leafs can consider dealing Knies to get Hughes for one and a half years till his contract with the Canucks expire.
“Let’s say the Leafs are really rocking right now and it’s going to cost you Matthew Knies,” Hayes said. “I’m doing it. That’s what I’m telling you. Okay, I’m doing that plus the picks and the like that’s how good Quinn Hughes is.”
On Wednesday, Knies couldn’t score any points against the two-time defending champions the Florida Panthers while the team secured a 4-1 win. In the three games heading into Panthers’ matchup, he scored one goal and three assists.
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Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy
