C William Nylander (2014, 8th, TOR) VII

[Countryjunkie]

IMO the Leafs should move William Nylander to the wing for the rest of the season. Let the kid get use to playing in the NHL before giving him the added responsibility of playing center. Playing with a vet center like Brooks Laich might do wonders for Nylander's confidence and transition into the NHL.

 

[X66]

It does make me laugh though how quick to judge people are of Nylander(and other highly touted prospects for popular teams).

He has his entire life to be good, lol.

 

[Anth93]

IMO the Leafs should move William Nylander to the wing for the rest of the season. Let the kid get use to playing in the NHL before giving him the added responsibility of playing center. Playing with a vet center like Brooks Laich might do wonders for Nylander's confidence and transition into the NHL.

Cool theory, then you watch Brooks Laich suck in horrible fashion and realize all this theoretical stuff is meaningless.

 

[winnipegger]

I think Ehlers and Nylander are very similar prospects, and it took Ehlers about 40 games to start really dominating the play when he was on the ice. Got cracked a few times with his head down, made a few badly timed offensive blueline turnovers, you know the deal with teenagers. Looks like they are trying to get his rookie jitters out in the last month of the season so he knows how to train in the summer for full time NHL.

If he plays 50 games with no improvement than I would worry

 

[Chainshot]

Personally I think he's been playing fine. Can't really blame him that the best chance's he's setup have come off the sticks of Greening and Grabner.

He has made some good plays at the NHL level already and he is still adjusting. He is playing with another young player and a stone hands vet. This is a good experience for him - he will have better linemates come next year.

Precisely. He's generating chances for his teammates and he isn't at fault for guys like Greening or Grabner being unable to cash in. The thing to see is that he's getting them the puck in prime scoring areas.

 

[Anth93]

I think Ehlers and Nylander are very similar prospects, and it took Ehlers about 40 games to start really dominating the play when he was on the ice. Got cracked a few times with his head down, made a few badly timed offensive blueline turnovers, you know the deal with teenagers. Looks like they are trying to get his rookie jitters out in the last month of the season so he knows how to train in the summer for full time NHL.

If he plays 50 games with no improvement than I would worry

Slow down. He needs to develop. That cannot happen in the NHL.

Kidding of course, you're 100% right.

 

[lebdafor norris]

If you ignore all the Leafs fans who are desperate for something, anything, after decades of void, you will see that he looks EXACTLY like the player every reasonable person has projected: a one dimensional, highly skilled forward. One that will put up some points, but not one you will win with. More of a Phil Kessel than a Jonathan Toews.

I don't get why Kessel is viewed with such a bad light around here lightly, I'd be really happy if Nylander puts up PPG numbers in his prime.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Precisely. He's generating chances for his teammates and he isn't at fault for guys like Greening or Grabner being unable to cash in. The thing to see is that he's getting them the puck in prime scoring areas.

Yeah Grabner and Greening fumbled some ridiculously nice chances Nylander created for them. Wish Leivo was up to play with Nylander, or JVR was healthy to play with him.

Although they'd generate enough offense to possibly screw up the tank.

 

[Anth93]

Yeah Grabner and Greening fumbled some ridiculously nice chances Nylander created for them. Wish Leivo was up to play with Nylander, or JVR was healthy to play with him.

Although they'd generate enough offense to possibly screw up the tank.

Leivo getting sent down is Babcock's first real 'WTF???' move.

He didn't deserve that whatsoever.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Leivo getting sent down is Babcock's first real 'WTF???' move.

He didn't deserve that whatsoever.

I didn't understand it personally, but at the same time, I am just going to trust Babcock on it.

Leipsic has also been pretty productive whenever he has been up but he's with the Marlies too right now.

 

[one77]

He's playing more than fine. He's playing C against grown NHL calibre players, on a line with Greening and Grabner...

He will be a star, just wait until he has a full season under his belt and decent wingers who can contribute offensively.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

The smartest move the Leafs made was hiring Babcock. He'll make sure that some of the bad habits that Nylander developed in the lower leagues will get fixed. This isn't unique to Nylander by any means as most 19 year olds who dominate other leagues can get away with some shortcuts that won't fly in the NHL.
You can see the offensive skill is already there but Babcock will make sure that he also plays well away from the puck. It will probably cost him some offence in the short run as he does shorter more intensive shifts but in the long run he'll be a more complete player.
This is the right way to develop young prospects and is something, IMO, the Leafs have suffered from in the past.

 

[one77]

The smartest move the Leafs made was hiring Babcock. He'll make sure that some of the bad habits that Nylander developed in the lower leagues will get fixed. This isn't unique to Nylander by any means as most 19 year olds who dominate other leagues can get away with some shortcuts that won't fly in the NHL.
You can see the offensive skill is already there but Babcock will make sure that he also plays well away from the puck. It will probably cost him some offence in the short run as he does shorter more intensive shifts but in the long run he'll be a more complete player.
This is the right way to develop young prospects and is something, IMO, the Leafs have suffered from in the past.

Exactly, spot on with this post. Nylander is going to be a star in this league with the guidance of Babcock.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

The AHL is beckoning

 

[Countryjunkie]

Cool theory, then you watch Brooks Laich suck in horrible fashion and realize all this theoretical stuff is meaningless.

Yes, I forgot that leadership is determined by how many points a player put up...but then again, it only took William Nylander 4 seconds to score his 1st NHL goal playing on Brooks Laich's wing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfEbEXhsifw

 

[FazeLeaf*]

Leivo getting sent down is Babcock's first real 'WTF???' move.

He didn't deserve that whatsoever.

I think the reason he is down is because if he plays more than 11 games then he is waiver eligible so if he plays less then he is waiver exempt.

 

[Hounsy]

Everything they have been doing this year with Nylander appears to be grooming him to be a center so keep playing him there as this is pure evaluation time for him and all the Leafs. The only reservation at this point I would have to keeping him at center with the Leafs was if he was getting demolished at the dots, but he has thus far been getting by with them.

 

[Willy Stylez]

The smartest move the Leafs made was hiring Babcock. He'll make sure that some of the bad habits that Nylander developed in the lower leagues will get fixed. This isn't unique to Nylander by any means as most 19 year olds who dominate other leagues can get away with some shortcuts that won't fly in the NHL.
You can see the offensive skill is already there but Babcock will make sure that he also plays well away from the puck. It will probably cost him some offence in the short run as he does shorter more intensive shifts but in the long run he'll be a more complete player.
This is the right way to develop young prospects and is something, IMO, the Leafs have suffered from in the past.

Agreed.

 

[Territory]

The smartest move the Leafs made was hiring Babcock. He'll make sure that some of the bad habits that Nylander developed in the lower leagues will get fixed. This isn't unique to Nylander by any means as most 19 year olds who dominate other leagues can get away with some shortcuts that won't fly in the NHL.
You can see the offensive skill is already there but Babcock will make sure that he also plays well away from the puck. It will probably cost him some offence in the short run as he does shorter more intensive shifts but in the long run he'll be a more complete player.
This is the right way to develop young prospects and is something, IMO, the Leafs have suffered from in the past.

Good post. Agreed.

 

[Backhandshelf81]

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Well Babcock has spoken. Again, when this was suggested the other night and for reasons that made perfect sense. Not sure what the big deal was. Babcock wants to see Nylander on the wing. I could not agree with him more.

 

[The Thin White Duke]

Yes, I forgot that leadership is determined by how many points a player put up...but then again, it only took William Nylander 4 seconds to score his 1st NHL goal playing on Brooks Laich's wing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfEbEXhsifw

Nylander is averaging 900 points per 60 on Laichs wing, why is management so blind?

 

[WTFMAN99]

The thing is, at 19 years old playing centre, he's been good. Good positioning and defensively, and he creates chances for his linemates, they just aren't good enough to convert on the chances he creates.

 

[snizzbone*]

Well Babcock has spoken. Again, when this was suggested the other night and for reasons that made perfect sense. Not sure what the big deal was. Babcock wants to see Nylander on the wing. I could not agree with him more.

The issue everyone is having when you say this is that you say it as if that is a huge slap in the face to Nylander when it's not. Many of the elite centers in the league started their careers on the wing as its the easier position to play when getting your feet wet. I actually expected him to be a winger to start for those reasons.

Giroux + Seguin are the two examples off the top of my head of top end centers who played wing for multiple years before moving back to center.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Well Babcock has spoken. Again, when this was suggested the other night and for reasons that made perfect sense. Not sure what the big deal was. Babcock wants to see Nylander on the wing. I could not agree with him more.

Looks like you were right. Kudos!
It's an interesting strategy.
I know that Gaunce was struggling with the Canuck's AHL team and they moved him to wing where he learned to go into the corners more and play a simpler game. It seems to have helped as he was switched back to center and has been effective since the switch.
Center is a pretty tough position to play for a rookie unless you're playing limited minutes on the fourth line.