Fantastic Read:
On Nylander:
On Kapanen:
On Brown:
Full Article: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/big-read-baby-faces-of-the-maple-leafs-franchise/
Willie, Kaspi and Brownie. Side by side, they seem more like a group of teenage friends goofing off in the back of a high-school math class than the forwards a downtrodden Leafs fan base is pinning its hopes on. They chirp each other about their talent in video games, FIFA in particular, and critique each other’s posts on Instagram. Each enjoys the relative anonymity that comes with being a minor-league player in an enormous city. Only Nylander gets recognized on the streets—likely a combined result of his high profile as the Leafs’ first-round pick in 2014 and his well-maintained blond coif and boy-band appeal. “They ask for a picture and say, ‘Oh, you’re going to play for the Leafs,’†Nylander says with a sly grin, hints of his Swedish roots in his voice. “I’m the guy they get to take the picture,†Kapanen says, laughing.
On Nylander:
Nylander has the most swagger of the three, with a fun, boyish manner. On the ice, he’s like a puppy chasing after a ball. During a photo shoot, he drifts toward loose pucks any chance he gets. He wagers $100 with Kapanen to see who can hit the other’s stationary stick from across the ice. When he wins, he celebrates gleefully and informs his teammate that he plans to collect. Later, he flips a puck off the ice and bats it out of the air, sending it top shelf, and starts singing “Jose! Jose, Jose, Jose!†the chant Blue Jays fans sing for slugger Jose Bautista when he hits a home run. Nylander followed the Jays’ post-season run with great interest. He knows how crazy the city could get if it happened to enjoy the same success in hockey. He acknowledges that there’s a lot of pressure, but says he relishes it. “It makes me play better. I like it,†he says. “I’m not worried right now—but maybe later.â€
On Kapanen:
Since he made the move to Toronto, where he lives alone in a downtown condo, regular phone calls with his dad have been essential. Kapanen doesn’t hide the fact that he gets homesick. And it didn’t help that he started his first two weeks of the season lying on a couch at home, sick with the flu, watching reruns of Modern Family and How I Met Your Mother. The setback resulted in a slow start to his rookie season in the AHL, but the Leafs believe he can develop into a highlight-reel threat on offence. “He’s shown bursts of speed that can break open a game,†says Keefe. He needs more time to adapt to the game in the AHL and pack on some of the pounds he shed while ill. (He did his part by stealing a few short ribs from Brown’s plate before Brown arrived for lunch.)
On Brown:
Brown is blessed with remarkable hockey IQ. What he does away from the puck is more impressive than what he does with it. From the seats at Ricoh, it’s hard to keep track of him—he’s everywhere, grinding away. “Brown is an extremely intelligent player,†says Keefe, who was first impressed by the right-winger when he coached against him in the OHL. “He’s the kind of guy you want to have play on every line because he can do so much.â€
Full Article: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/big-read-baby-faces-of-the-maple-leafs-franchise/
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