Matthew Knies in the sights of the Canadiens
During the 2021 amateur draft, Marc Bergevin stirred controversy with the selection of defenseman Logan Mailloux, whom he had asked teams not to draft due to his lack of maturity.
During the 2020-2021 season, Mailloux faced Swedish justice over an incident involving sharing intimate photos of a young woman. Even though Mailloux was tempting, another name was on the former general manager's list.
According to Marc-Antoine Godin in his podcast broadcasted by Radio-Canada, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies was the next name. As it turned out, the Maple Leafs seized the opportunity to acquire him with the 57th pick in the amateur draft.
It's official: Marc Antoine Godin confirms that the Canadiens almost drafted Matthew Knies instead of Logan Mailloux in 2021
Marc Bergevin didn't heed the organization's public relations, instead making a hockey choice. For him, the best available player at the 31st spot was defenseman Logan Mailloux. It must be said that the former London Knights player had many attributes that made him an appealing candidate for the Tricolore.
According to Godin in this podcast, Knies was a player of interest for Trevor Timmins and his scouting staff.
Godin confirmed that the team's general manager had a lot of praise for Matthew Knies. It goes even further, as he confirmed that Knies was the second player on the Canadiens' list at the time of discussion.
- Marc-Antoine Godin
How did he slip from 31st to 57th overall to end up in Toronto?
It's a mystery we'll never have the answer to, but perhaps his style didn't fit with other teams. Sometimes there's a question of identity, but with his style, it's certain that all NHL teams would love to have a player like Matthew Knies, especially considering his entry-level salary of $925,000 in 2023-2024. He will earn the same salary next year. It's a real bargain!
Since his graduation into the Bettman circuit, the Leafs forward has recorded 35 points, including 16 goals, in 83 games.
However, it can't be said that Marc Bergevin was wrong in selecting Logan Mailloux. Public opinion gradually changed after numerous articles that tarnished the Canadiens in 2021. The young man has redeemed his image and has even become one of the favorite players among Laval Rocket fans. Maturity seems to have improved at a staggering pace.
His on-ice performances and interviews in French have greatly contributed to his being firmly entrenched in the hearts of fans of the Canadiens' farm team. His record of 47 points earned him an invitation to the AHL All-Star Game to represent his team in 2023-2024.
It will take several years before we can say whether the Canadiens would have been better off drafting Matthew Knies instead of Logan Mailloux. Only time will tell...
| POLL | ||
Would you like Matthew Knies with the Habs? | ||
| Yes | 219 | 61.3 % |
| No | 138 | 38.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
