Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects Update: Voit, Knies and Minten

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 08: Fraser Minten, #38 pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning, poses for a portrait during the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 08, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 08: Fraser Minten, #38 pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning, poses for a portrait during the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 08, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
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Toronto Maple Leafs
WORCESTER, MA – MARCH 25: Matthew Knies #89 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers  . (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)

Matthew Knies

Matthew Knies is a 20-year-old left-winger playing in the NCAA.

He is 6’3, 209 Lbs power forward. Knies is not afraid to hit and battle for pucks.

The potential to be a star in the NHL is there. Fans could see him play for the Toronto Maple Leafs as soon as this season, although a rookie breaking into the NHL on one of the best teams after the trade deadline is possibly a little far fetched, but he’s so good there is a chance it actually happens.

Knies was the Leafs second best prospect entering this season, and if Nick Robertson sticks in the NHL, that makes him the teams Top Prospect.

There is a ton of speculation that Knies will join the Maple Leafs once his NCAA season finishes, as fans of the team salivate at the possibility of a Tkachuk-style power-forward joining the team.

Let’s consider the rarity of those players, however and keep expectations somewhat in check.  Knies is an extremely exciting prospect, but he’s no blue-chipper.

Still, the Toronto Maple Leafs are overdue in finding a star player outside the top of the draft, and this may be their best chance at doing it.

He is in his second year at the University of Minnesota and has 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points in 18 games. Last season he had 33 points in 33 games.