Former Penguins Executive Says They Nearly Drafted Matthew Knies

Former Pittsburgh Penguins executive Brian Burke revealed that the team planned to select forward Matthew Knies in the 2021 NHL Draft. Speaking on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, Burke explained that then-general manager Ron Hextall intended to pick Knies at 58th overall, but the Toronto Maple Leafs selected him one pick earlier at 57th, forcing Pittsburgh to draft Tristan Broz instead.

Knies, who was recently traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets, scored 29 goals with Toronto in 2024-25 and has opened his Columbus tenure with four points in two games. Meanwhile, Broz has primarily played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL, registering 78 points across 108 games alongside a single NHL appearance.