Matthew Knies
Pos: LW
Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Size: 6’3 205 lbs
After being drafted in the second round, I did some digging into Knies. Looking at the previous two seasons, his numbers didn’t jump off the page. He amassed 45 points in 44 games in his DY-1 and 42 points in 44 games in his DY. A slight regression in points, something you don’t really like to see but, after reading that he had come down with Covid-19 part way through his draft year, I was willing to look past it.
This year, he blew away any doubts. In 33 games with the University of Minnesota, Knies scored 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points. This put him fifth in points per-game in the NCAA among 2021 draft picks. Even more impressive, the only players ahead of him were: Matty Beniers, Kent Johnson, Matthew Coronato, and Josh Doan. Three of those players were top-fifteen picks and the other, Doan, was a second rounder picked 20 picks ahead of Knies.
He’s a hitting machine, who loves to use his large frame (6-3, 205lbs) to dominate the opposition. He’s a prototypical power forward type player with some pretty high-end skill. If he can continue to progress, he might even be able to wear a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater when his college season is over next year.