Maple Leafs Star Forward Emerges as Surprise Suitor for Pittsburgh Penguins
Photo credit: Hockey Canada
Pending Restricted Free Agent forward Matthew Knies has emerged as a potential suitor for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are run by ex-Leafs GM Kyle Dubas.
The summer work for Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has already begun after his team missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 3rd straight year, marking the longest drought of captain and future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby's NHL career.
And while it's been speculated by many that Dubas could potentially look to poach his former club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, of Mitch Marner through free agency, another interesting option has been put forward.
Brian Burke, who was an executive with both the Maple Leafs and Penguins, has suggested that Dubas could entertain extending an offer sheet to pending Maple Leafs restricted free agent forward Matthew Knies.
Burke revealed that the Penguins had plans to take Knies with the 58th pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft before the Maple Leafs swooped in and selected him with the pick immediately before Pittsburgh.
First off, he's a great, physically gifted player. He's big, he's 6'3, 225 (lbs), he's got great foot speed for a big man, and he's growing in front of our eyes. He's improving as a hockey player almost daily.
The aggravating part for us in Pittsburgh is, we were going to pick Matthew KNies with the next pick, we told our scouts to put in Matt Knies. But Toronto took him with the pick before us. That's how close we came to getting him, it's really aggravating.
The aggravating part for us in Pittsburgh is, we were going to pick Matthew KNies with the next pick, we told our scouts to put in Matt Knies. But Toronto took him with the pick before us. That's how close we came to getting him, it's really aggravating.
Just how good would a player like Knies, who is about to enter his prime, fit on a Penguins roster that will soon be transitioning from the veteran leadership of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang?
| POLL | ||
MAI 1 | 232 ANSWERS Maple Leafs Star Forward Emerges as Surprise Suitor for Pittsburgh Penguins Should Penguins GM Kyle Dubas extend an offer sheet to Maple Leafs RFA forward Matthew Knies? | ||
| Yes | 151 | 65.1 % |
| No | 81 | 34.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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