Leafs Alumni Shares What Impressed Him Most in Matthew Knies' Debut
Matthew Knies is now two games into what will hopefully be a long and prosperous NHL career.
A former Leaf has revealed what impressed him most.
Corrado Shares Thought on Knies Debut
Frank Corrado played 41 games with the Maple Leafs in the mid-2010s tank teams.
The team has certainly come a long way since Corrado was a leaf, and he is now a hockey commentator after retiring in the KHL last season.
Matthew Knies, the new shiny toy in Toronto, has been hyped up insanely high by fans, but in his two first NHL games he has looked good.
While many are quick to point out his 6'3" frame and it's effectiveness at fighting off opponents physically, Corrado saw things that impressed him even more:
"As far as that being a separator metaphorically, that's something a coach can look at and say when you need a shift, a momentum building shift, that's a guy you put on the ice...to go chew up 25, 30 seconds...he can separate himself from other players that way. I thought Alexander Kerfoot actually had some chances because of Knies' ability win some puck battles on the wall or below the goal line."
This role of a 'separator' is incredibly useful in the NHL, as it allows more creative and lucrative chances.
Knies may not drive a line, but his complementary skills are fantastic.
There a big things to come for Matthew Knies!
As Read on Maple Leafs Daily -
Former Leaf reveals what stood out about Knies' game the most in his NHL debut
| POLL | ||
Do you think Knies will play top-six minutes in the playoffs? | ||
| Yes | 125 | 43 % |
| No | 166 | 57 % |
| List of polls | ||
