In this edition of the column, we take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs pick, plus why Shane Wright went to Windsor and the 'D' in Devils.

Welcome to another edition of Real Prospect Gossip, where I attempt to give you a little insider info on the development world. There's a lot going on in the hockey world right now and undoubtedly as we get closer to the NHL trade deadline, we're going to see some interesting futures get moved by contenders. In the meantime, here are some of the intriguing tidbits I've come across lately.

We'll start with the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose fan base has been very active on social media when it comes to top prospect Matthew Knies. The 2021 second-rounder is one of the top scorers at the University of Minnesota, just as he was last year in his freshman campaign with the Golden Gophers. But how good is he? Anytime you talk about the Leafs, you're going to get the whole spectrum of answers, from the die-hards to the skeptics. Luckily, I happened to be talking to a scout from a different NHL team recently and here's what he volunteered:

"Matthew Knies is an NHL player playing college hockey," he said. "He should be in Toronto the day after Minnesota's season is done."

Knies has always been a fascinating prospect because it's hard to find high-end power forwards these days. His draft year got off to a slow start with USHL Tri-City and it felt like he was trying to be too much of an East-West guy - plus the puck just wasn't going in for him. In the second half, things turned around when Knies started mucking it up in the corners more. Playing a more North-South game unleashed the beast and the pre-season expectations made sense once again. Since he got to college, Knies has kept the production and the physicality going. His consistency continues to improve and he has impressed neutral observers.

The Leafs have often been criticized for not having enough size and strength up front; at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Knies would certainly help rebut that claim.

One of the most shocking trades at the OHL deadline was Shane Wright being sent from Kingston to Windsor, with the Spitfires sending the customary basket of draft picks plus 2023 NHL draft prospect Ethan Miedema and the rights to 2023 draft prospect Gavin McCarthy (currently with USHL Muskegon and committed to Boston University).

In the lead-up to the deadline, speculation was rampant as to where Wright would go once the Seattle Kraken had assigned him back to junior. Barrie, Ottawa, Peterborough and London were all bandied about, but Windsor won out - and keep in mind, Wright had a no-trade clause, so he had to approve the deal.

Windsor is coached by former NHL star Marc Savard, who took the Spits to the OHL final last season and presided over Wyatt Johnston's 124-point offensive maelstrom (Johnston is now in the NHL with Dallas).

"I'm an offensive coach," Savard told me. "We want to add that element back to (Wright's) game - not that he ever lost it - but we want him to create on the attack, play fast hockey and get results."

Since joining the Spitfires, Wright has averaged two points per game - his best totals yet in junior. And the kid certainly appreciates the Windsor system.

"That was definitely appealing," Wright told me. "It's always fun getting points and scoring goals. Playing in an offense where you can take advantage and get a lot of points is a really exciting opportunity."

And of course, playing for a championship was a big factor for Wright, too. Windsor currently has a stranglehold on first place in the West Division and one of the best records in the league.

Everything has been coming up Devils in New Jersey this season, but there's more fun on the horizon. Speaking with assistant GM Dan MacKinnon for our upcoming Future Watch issue, the plan is for a couple of enticing European defensemen to join the team's AHL affiliate in Utica later this season. Shakir Mukhamadullin, a 2020 first-rounder, is expected to join the Comets once his KHL season with Salavat Yulaev Ufa ends. Mukhamadullin played a couple playoff games with Utica last year and the Devils are hoping he can get in a longer run this time.

"He's 6-foot-4 with an extremely strong lower half and legs and he's a good skater," MacKinnon said. "The foundation of his game is probably as a transitional defenseman with skill who can also defend."

Meanwhile in Finland, Devils 2021 fifth-rounder Topias Vilen is also expected to join Utica once his run in the Liiga is done.

"Our head of development for defensemen, Eric Weinrich, is really excited about Vilen," MacKinnon said. "From his skating, his composure, his ability to advance the puck and ability to take time and space away, Eric definitely feels there is an NHL-projectable game there."

And of course the Devils also have blue-chip defenseman Luke Hughes in the pipeline.