Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Matthew Knies (#23) takes part in the final scrimmage to end the club’s development camp. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Matthew Knies leaves development camp with a clearer sense of where his game needs improvement. "It starts with my skating, I think I can be a better skater," he said mere moments after he completed his second scrimmage on Friday. "Same with shooting and stride. Shooting underneath my feet in odd areas, that was a huge thing that they harped on me for." Knies was left off the scoresheet for both scrimmages held over the five days of on-ice sessions amongst prospects. It was a bit of surprise as both he and forward Fraser Minten were the highest NHL Draft selections of the 44 players invited. "Like anybody, he was pretty nervous in the first couple of days and probably feels like he's the highest pick here and has to impress and put on a show," Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser said. Knies scored 17 goals and had 42 points in 44 games with the University of Minnesota last season. He's committed to playing at the college for the upcoming season after which he hopes he can join the Leafs upon season's end. And although there was an opportunity to jump to the Maple Leafs back in April, the 19-year-old's decision to not sign and take another year in college is looking more and more like the right call. "We just talked to him about every day (to) get a little bit better and work with the skills coaches, take away things that you're going to use in a long-term forecast here to build into next season that when he does come into Toronto here, there will be other players that take over the spotlight and he doesn't have to be the guy," Wickenheiser added. After a humbling experience over the course of the week, Knies will shift his focus to representing Team USA at the rescheduled 2022 World Juniors next month in Edmonton. He'll have just three days of rest before heading out Team USA's camp, where he can put some of those new skills to good use. "I learned a lot from Hayley and from all of the coaching staff," Knies said. There are some things I can improve on and I'm going to try to do that throughout the year." If Knies is going to make it as an NHL, his conditioning will have to take the next step. He's got the size and physicality to hang with other pros, but this camp was also a wake-up call for the Phoenix native. The biggest lesson learned for Knies? "I guess how much I have to improve off the ice as well," He said. "A lot of stretching and a lot of mobility stuff. I think I was one of the worst at that so I've got to work on that for sure."
